Walking outside huge fashion streets and stores in the country and worldwide, it is interesting to see brands that are so intensely associated with overconsumption, starting to introduce sustainability initiatives. Many of them even explicitly ask you to not buy clothes unnecessarily. Millions of discarded clothes end up as waste, piling up in landfills and creating mountains of textile cast-offs. The majority of these items could have been re-worn, reused, or recycled, yet they continue to end up as waste.
This growing issue is putting major retailers under increasing pressure to take meaningful action and implement more responsible waste management practices.
While companies like Adidas and luxury giant Kering — the parent company of brands such as Alexander McQueen and Gucci — have set ambitious targets for collecting used garments, the broader goal is clear: to ramp up textile recycling, keep clothes out of landfills, and give fashion waste a second life.
H&M’s Conscious Collection and Zara’s Join Life line exemplify efforts to incorporate recycled materials and promote circular fashion. Yet, industry observers have made claims that despite these initiatives, both brands continue to face scrutiny over their broader environmental impact and accusations of ‘greenwashing’, raising questions about the authenticity and depth of their sustainability claims.
With glossy catwalks, glitzy trends, and overnight sensations, it’s true that fashion is a world built on constant reinvention. Yet behind the allure of the latest drop lies a deeply frayed system. The global fashion industry, worth a staggering $1.84 trillion and contributing 1.63% to the world’s GDP, is confronting a long-overdue reckoning. As the climate crisis intensifies and consumers demand accountability, fashion must grapple with an uncomfortable truth: its allure comes at an immense environmental and human cost.
The industry alone contributes 8–10% of global carbon emissions—more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. Each year, it generates 92 million tons of textile waste, with much of it either incinerated or dumped in landfills. A single cotton shirt guzzles over 2,700 litres of water during its production, while the industry as a whole consumes a jaw-dropping 79 trillion litres annually. Then there’s the plastic: synthetic fabrics release over 500,000 tons of microplastics into waterways each year. Compounding this crisis is the grim social reality—an estimated 50 million people are trapped in modern slavery, many within the opaque corners of the fashion supply chain.
But fashion’s unravelling isn’t just a crisis. It is an opportunity. Driven by regulation, consumer demand, and innovation, a systemic transformation is taking root—one that promises to redefine fashion from fibre to finish.
Spotlight on India’s Fashion Industry
In India, one of the world’s largest garment producers and exporters, the fashion supply chain is marked by both promise and peril. The 2024 Fashion Transparency Index flagged major transparency gaps globally—but Indian brands were especially concerning. According to the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), nearly 79% of environmental claims made by Indian brands were either misleading or completely unsubstantiated.
This trust gap is wide: only 29% of Indian consumers say they trust sustainability claims made by fashion brands. That skepticism is well-founded. Investigations by non-profit Transparentem in Madhya Pradesh revealed forced and child labour across 90 cotton farms, with workers exposed to toxic chemicals and bound by exploitative contracts. Despite these abuses, raw material suppliers—especially those in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities—are rarely disclosed in brand reports, keeping violations hidden from public scrutiny.
This opacity also fuels greenwashing. Just as European regulators struggle to verify the authenticity of “recycled yarns” or eco-labels, India’s regulatory frameworks remain nascent. Brands can still advertise sustainability while dodging genuine accountability.
The World Watches
Globally, governments are raising the bar. The EU is at the forefront, rolling out sweeping reforms like the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). These policies enforce strict standards on durability, recyclability, and human rights due diligence. Meanwhile, the Digital Product Passport (DPP) will soon require every product to come with a scannable QR code that reveals its environmental impact and supply chain footprint.
The U.S. is not far behind. New York and California have banned PFAS “forever chemicals” in clothing starting 2025, while Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws in states like Oregon and California are shifting waste disposal costs back to the brands. The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) is also being enforced with greater rigor, underscoring the rising scrutiny on unethical labour practices.
Fashion’s Digital Thread
As policy tightens, technology is stepping in to bridge the compliance gap. Blockchain is revolutionizing traceability by creating tamper-proof records of a product’s journey. Brands like Givenchy and Breitling are already using it to authenticate products and verify ethical sourcing. Artificial Intelligence is being deployed to refine demand forecasting, helping brands slash the overproduction that fuels fashion waste. Over 70% of mass-market design now uses 3D sampling—reducing the need for physical prototypes and cutting time-to-market drastically.
On the recycling front, companies like Circ and Syre (partnering with H&M in a $100 million initiative) are pioneering closed-loop systems to recover and reuse cotton and polyester from discarded clothes. Yet the biggest challenge remains scale. While these breakthroughs are promising, they’re still far from replacing the global supply chain’s vast output.
The Conscious Consumer Is Here to Stay
Fashion’s new power players aren’t designers or CEOs—they’re conscious consumers, especially Gen Z. A remarkable 73% of Gen Z buyers say they’re willing to pay more for sustainable products. Globally, three out of five shoppers now consider sustainability when making purchasing decisions.
This shift is transforming fashion’s economics. The resale market is booming, growing at 12% annually and poised to represent 10% of global apparel sales by end-2025. Even the popularity of ‘dupes’, the affordable alternatives to luxury products, reflects a rising awareness that value isn’t just about price tags, but also about ethics, craftsmanship, and longevity.
Indian consumers are also leaning into this shift. There’s growing support for small, artisan-driven labels that emphasize fair wages, traditional techniques, and lower environmental footprints. The demand for transparency is turning the spotlight on brands that embrace purpose over profit.
Strategies for a Sustainable Tomorrow
Rebuilding the fashion industry from the ground up demands sweeping reforms. At the heart of this lies radical transparency. Disclosing only Tier 1 suppliers is no longer enough; brands must trace their materials to the farm or mine. Technologies like blockchain and initiatives like the Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM) are helping brands gather real-time environmental and social data. Movements like Fashion Revolution are amplifying the push for visibility, calling for a new era of open accountability.
Decarbonisation is another key pillar. Since 70% of emissions occur in the early supply chain, investments in renewable energy, regenerative agriculture, and innovations like waterless dyeing are crucial. Brands such as Primark are taking first steps by designing garments to withstand 45+ washes—reducing their water, carbon, and waste footprints by nearly 30%.
A material revolution is also underway. With over 70% of textiles still made from fossil-fuel-derived synthetics, shifting to organic cotton, recycled fibres, and bio-based materials is imperative. Innovations like Mirum (plant-based leather) and Biosteel (biodegradable fibre used by Adidas) hint at a plastic-free future—but scaling them will require major R&D investments.
Circularity, once a buzzword, is fast becoming a business imperative. From design-for-disassembly to large-scale recycling infrastructure and take-back programs, the industry is learning to close the loop. France and Belgium’s EPR laws already compel brands to take responsibility for a garment’s entire lifecycle. Meanwhile, fast fashion giant Inditex is working with Ambercycle to scale up recycled polyester production.
None of this will work without ethical labour practices. Ensuring safe conditions and living wages—especially among invisible Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers—is not optional. Brands must go beyond audits, setting wage benchmarks and forging binding agreements. While “nearshoring” and “friendshoring” (producing closer to home or in politically friendly regions) are gaining ground, they introduce new challenges in capacity and cost.
🌏 Fashion Sustainability & Greenwashing: India vs Europe (2024 Snapshot)
| Category | India | Europe |
| Sustainability Claims Accuracy | 79% of green claims are exaggerated or misleading (ASCI) | 59% of claims found to be vague or unverifiable (EU Commission) |
| Consumer Trust | Only 29% of consumers trust sustainability claims (ASCI) | Around 44% consumer trust in major European countries (EU Survey 2023) |
| Raw Material Supplier Disclosure | Very limited, <5% brands disclose Tier 2/3 suppliers (Transparentem) | Only 5% disclose raw material suppliers (Fashion Transparency Index) |
| Labour & Environmental Violations | 90 cotton farms in Madhya Pradesh found using forced & child labor | Labour exploitation mostly in outsourced supply chains (e.g., Bangladesh) |
| Government Regulation | ASCI Guidelines against greenwashing launched mid-2023 | EU Green Claims Directive introduced to standardize & verify claims |
| Focus of Activism & Scrutiny | Waste management, labour rights, textile waste | Fast fashion emissions, synthetic fibers, microplastics |
The Road Ahead
The path to sustainability is expensive, complex, and slow. Experts estimate that the global industry needs more than $1 trillion in investment to hit its sustainability targets. Smaller brands, which make up over 90% of the sector, often lack access to capital, technology, or certified suppliers. Fragmented global supply chains and the lack of standardised data make it hard to benchmark progress.
Still, the pressure to change is mounting. Regulatory frameworks like the EU’s Digital Product Passport and India’s evolving EPR policy are setting new norms. The climate clock is ticking, and brands that delay may find themselves left behind—not just in compliance, but in relevance.
The fashion industry, long defined by speed and spectacle, is learning to slow down and stitch purpose into its seams. A new era is unfolding—one that redefines success not by runway applause, but by impact, responsibility, and resilience.
The gleaming solar farms stretching toward the horizon and the silent glide of electric vehicles on city streets are the visible icons of our promised sustainable future. Yet, beneath this polished surface lies a far more complex, gritty, and rapidly evolving reality: a profound revolution reshaping the very arteries that deliver green technology, which are its global supply chains. This intricate network, once relegated to the background as a logistical necessity, has surged to the forefront as the critical frontier where the true environmental and social cost of the energy transition is being determined. What was once an afterthought is now recognized as the linchpin for genuine sustainability, driving an unprecedented, multifaceted transformation that is as challenging as it is essential for the future of both the planet and the clean tech industry itself.
Mounting climate catastrophe demands drastic reductions in greenhouse gas emissions across the entire value chain, far beyond a company’s direct operations. Scope 3 emissions, encompassing everything from raw material extraction and processing to manufacturing, transportation, and end-of-life management, often constitute a crushing 70-90% of a green tech company’s total carbon footprint, according to comprehensive analyses by organizations like CDP. Simultaneously, governments are wielding regulatory power like never before. The European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), imposing carbon costs on imports of steel, aluminum, cement, fertilizers, electricity, and hydrogen starting its transitional phase in October 2023, fundamentally alters the calculus for global suppliers. The EU Battery Regulation, fully effective since February 2024, mandates rigorous carbon footprint declarations, performance and durability standards, and escalating targets for recycled content in lithium, cobalt, lead, and nickel used in batteries – a direct assault on the environmental impact of this crucial green tech component. This regulatory tsunami is echoed globally, from US incentives tied to domestic sourcing and labor standards to emerging frameworks in Asia.
Adding immense pressure is the insatiable demand for critical minerals – the lifeblood of batteries, permanent magnets in wind turbines, and advanced electronics. The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that overall demand for critical minerals could triple by 2030, with lithium demand alone potentially increasing by over 40 times by 2040 under net-zero scenarios. This voracious appetite collides with the harsh reality that securing these resources is impossible without addressing the ethical and environmental scandals that have plagued mining: child labor in cobalt artisanal mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo, devastating water pollution from lithium extraction in South America, and land rights conflicts globally. Ethically conscious consumers, empowered investors wielding trillions in ESG-focused capital, and advocacy groups are demanding radical transparency and accountability, making unsustainable sourcing not just unethical but a severe reputational and financial liability. The revolution, therefore, is not merely desirable; it’s a fundamental requirement for securing the resources needed for the energy transition itself.
This supply chain metamorphosis manifests in profound and diverse ways across every link. At the source, mining giants face unprecedented pressure to adopt and adhere to stringent environmental and social standards. Frameworks like the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) are moving from aspirational to essential benchmarks. Pioneering companies are forging new paths: BMW secured the world’s first supply contract for carbon-reduced steel produced using green hydrogen from Sweden’s H2 Green Steel, aiming for near-zero emissions. Apple, a major consumer of cobalt for batteries, has committed to using 100% recycled cobalt in all Apple-designed batteries by 2025 and is actively auditing its supply chains down to the smelter level. The quest extends beyond recycling to innovative extraction methods like Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE), which promises significantly lower water usage and land impact than traditional evaporation ponds.
The journey of materials, which is the logistics spine, is undergoing its own radical decarbonization. Shipping, responsible for nearly 3% of global CO2 emissions, is a major target. Maersk’s bold investment in a fleet of dual-fuel container ships capable of running on green methanol represents a significant bet on alternative fuels, though scaling production remains a hurdle. Companies are leveraging artificial intelligence for sophisticated route optimization, significantly slashing fuel consumption and emissions across road, sea, and air freight. Simultaneously, the push for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) is intensifying, driven by corporate commitments to reduce supply chain emissions, though cost and availability are still significant barriers. The focus is shifting from mere efficiency to genuine decarbonization of movement.
Perhaps the most fundamental shift is the rise of the circular economy from a niche concept to a core operational necessity. The linear “take-make-dispose” model is untenable for resource-intensive green tech. Innovations in battery recycling are leading this charge. Companies like Redwood Materials, founded by Tesla co-founder JB Straubel, and Li-Cycle are developing advanced hydrometallurgical and mechanical processes aiming to recover over 95% of critical metals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel from end-of-life batteries and manufacturing scrap. This contrasts starkly with the Global Battery Alliance’s estimate that currently less than 5% of lithium-ion batteries are recycled globally, highlighting both the immense challenge and opportunity. Beyond batteries, designing products for disassembly, implementing robust take-back schemes, and establishing industrial-scale recycling for solar panels (which face a potential tsunami of waste as early deployments reach end-of-life) and wind turbine blades are critical priorities. The goal is clear: transform waste streams back into valuable feedstock, drastically reducing the need for virgin mining and its associated impacts.
Underpinning all these efforts is the rising demand for radical transparency. Gone are the days of vague sustainability promises. Blockchain technology, piloted by companies like IBM (Food Trust, now part of the IBM Environmental Intelligence Suite) and MineHub Technologies, is being explored to create immutable ledgers tracking materials from mine to final product. Comprehensive Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) are becoming standard practice, quantifying environmental impacts across the entire product lifespan. This transparency allows companies like Patagonia (with its Footprint Chronicles) and Tesla (increasingly pressured to disclose its battery mineral sourcing) to validate their sustainability claims and empowers consumers and investors to make informed choices. Crucially, it also exposes greenwashing, holding companies accountable for their entire value chain impact.
Despite the undeniable momentum, the path is fraught with formidable hurdles. Transitioning to sustainable supply chains often carries higher initial costs for materials, logistics, and compliance. Engaging and auditing complex, multi-tiered supplier networks, often operating in regions with limited oversight, remains a herculean task. Technological limitations persist, particularly in efficiently recycling complex products and scaling green hydrogen or SAF production. Persistent gaps in global standards and verification mechanisms create confusion and loopholes. Geopolitical tensions and trade policies add another layer of complexity to securing resilient and responsible supply chains.
Yet, the trajectory is clear and irreversible. The plummeting cost of renewable energy is making green manufacturing increasingly viable. The reputational and financial risks of unsustainable practices are too great to ignore. Most fundamentally, there is a dawning, industry-wide realization: a genuinely sustainable future powered by green technology is impossible without green supply chains. The revolution transforming these once-hidden networks is no longer merely an ethical choice; it has become the indispensable bedrock of competitive resilience, resource security, and ultimately, planetary survival.
The e-commerce giant achieved a major sustainability milestone in 2024, delivering 1.5 billion packages via electric vehicles worldwide – more than doubling its EV fleet to 31,400 units and exceeding its India electrification target a year early. This achievement, detailed in Amazon’s latest Sustainability Report, comes alongside its fifth consecutive year as the world’s top corporate buyer of renewable energy, matching 100% of global operations with clean power.
Balancing Growth with Emissions Reduction
While Amazon’s absolute carbon emissions rose 6% to 68.25 million metric tons due to business expansion, the company highlighted a 40% reduction in carbon intensity since 2019. Key decarbonization efforts included:
AI Efficiency Breakthroughs
Amazon Web Services countered AI’s energy demands with:
Sustainable Operations Expansion
The company made strides across its value chain:
Fresh off announcing India’s largest green hydrogen facility, engineering giant Larsen & Toubro has secured a strategic ultra-mega offshore contract in the Middle East, showcasing its unique dual capability in traditional hydrocarbons and clean energy transition.
The company’s hydrocarbon division landed a major EPCI (engineering, procurement, construction, installation) contract involving new offshore structures and facility upgrades, continuing its three-decade legacy of executing complex oil and gas projects across water depths. “This award reinforces our global reputation for delivering technically challenging offshore projects with precision,” L&T stated, highlighting its in-house engineering expertise and specialized marine fleet.
Simultaneously, L&T Energy GreenTech is pioneering India’s energy future through its 10,000-tonne annual capacity green hydrogen plant at IOCL’s Panipat refinery. The fully renewable-powered facility will employ indigenously manufactured alkaline electrolyzers from L&T’s Hazira unit, supporting India’s green hydrogen mission while decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors.
“This parallel execution of hydrocarbon and clean energy projects demonstrates our balanced energy transition approach,” said Subramanian Sarma, L&T’s deputy MD. The twin developments position L&T as both a global hydrocarbon infrastructure leader and domestic clean energy champion – a rare combination in today’s polarized energy landscape. The green hydrogen facility, operating on a 25-year BOO model, represents one of India’s first industrial-scale implementations of the National Green Hydrogen Mission, while the Middle East contract extends L&T’s dominance in conventional energy infrastructure amid growing global energy demand.
A promising innovation in green construction is emerging from Bengaluru’s Indian Institute of Science. Novacret, a startup incubated at the Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development (FSID), is set to launch its revolutionary green cement product by September 2025. The product boasts up to 80% lower carbon emissions and eliminates the need for water during curing, making it both eco-friendly and water-efficient. Rooted in circular economy principles, Novacret uses industrial waste—including fly ash from power plants and slag from steel industries—as raw materials, drastically cutting environmental impact while offering a cost advantage.
The performance metrics of Novacret are compelling. Unlike conventional concrete, which typically takes 28 days to reach full strength, Novacret products achieve the same in just three days. Additionally, they are currently 10–15% cheaper than traditional concrete offerings, and the cost is expected to drop further with scale. Its product line includes a wide variety of precast items such as pavers, kerbstones, AAC blocks, CLC panels, facades, and porous pavers—all packaged in innovative compostable bags to minimize plastic waste.
The startup has already attracted interest from major players in the real estate and infrastructure sector, including pilot projects with large construction firms and potential collaborations with the Karnataka government. Novacret also plans to incorporate agricultural waste into its production in the coming years, which could have a significant impact on reducing stubble burning and air pollution in northern India. This could further boost India’s climate targets under global frameworks like the Paris Agreement.
Internationally, Novacret is eyeing partnerships in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. It recently showcased its technology at the World Future Energy Summit 2025 in Abu Dhabi and was among 12 startups featured at India’s Construction Tech Demo Day. Backed by grants from the Department of Science and Technology and Zerodha CSR, the startup is now preparing for its first seed funding round to support its next stage of growth.
Novacret’s broader vision aligns closely with the concept of “Drawdown,” a framework proposed by Paul Hawken for reversing global warming within a generation. With construction accounting for over 25% of global carbon emissions, Novacret offers a viable, scalable path for decarbonising the sector. The startup estimates that the market potential for its products in India exceeds $1 billion, with engineering blocks alone worth $1.3 billion. Globally, the precast concrete market is pegged at $166 billion, and Novacret aims to capture at least 10% of that within the next five years. By converting industrial and agricultural waste into high-performance construction material, Novacret is more than just a green cement startup—it represents a blueprint for sustainable urban development. If adopted at scale, it could slash the construction industry’s carbon footprint by half within a decade, delivering tangible climate action from the ground up.
The Sustainability Mafia (SusMafia), a 100+ strong network of climate-tech pioneers, has unveiled its ‘Climate-Tech Opportunity Map’ – a curated guide spotlighting 25 high-potential ideas to slash India’s carbon footprint. This actionable blueprint targets critical gaps in energy, agriculture, industry and water sectors, combining emissions data with expert insights to highlight scalable solutions.
Developed under SusMafia’s SusVentures program, the initiative connects aspiring entrepreneurs with mentors, investors and pilot partners. “We’re helping climate builders validate ideas faster and access the right networks,” explains Aneesa Patel, SusVentures Co-Founder. The map’s co-creators emphasize its mission: “India needs startups solving the right problems urgently – this bridges the gap between pressing challenges and entrepreneurial action.” By focusing on underserved markets with clear white spaces, the map aims to accelerate viable climate solutions from ideation to market impact.
The global climate crisis demands more than incremental change; it requires a fundamental reimagining of how we produce, consume, and power our world. At the forefront of this seismic shift stand companies transcending mere compliance to become true champions of green technology and holistic sustainability. These organizations are not just deploying clean solutions; they are embedding environmental and social responsibility into their core DNA, redefining supply chains, pioneering disruptive technologies, and proving that profitability and planetary stewardship are not mutually exclusive but intrinsically linked. Their journeys, grounded in verifiable action and measurable impact, illuminate the path toward a genuinely sustainable future. Driven by a potent combination of ethical imperative, investor pressure, consumer demand, and regulatory tailwinds like the EU’s Green Deal and CBAM, these vanguards are demonstrating scalable solutions across diverse sectors, transforming ambition into tangible reality through relentless innovation and unwavering commitment.
In the critical realm of renewable energy generation and transition, Ørsted stands as a paradigm-shifting exemplar. This Danish powerhouse has undergone one of the most radical corporate transformations witnessed, evolving from Danish Oil and Natural Gas (DONG) to a global leader exclusively focused on renewables. Their audacious commitment is reflected in achieving a 94% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions since 2006 (validated by the Science Based Targets initiative – SBTi), with a firm target to become carbon-neutral by 2025, encompassing their entire energy generation and operations. Ørsted is not merely building wind farms; they are pioneering biodiversity protection measures like artificial reefs around turbine foundations and investing heavily in Power-to-X technologies, exploring green hydrogen and e-fuels to decarbonize harder-to-abate sectors like shipping and aviation. Their leadership extends beyond their own operations, actively engaging suppliers to reduce emissions across their value chain, understanding that true sustainability demands systemic change. Similarly, NextEra Energy, through its subsidiary NextEra Energy Resources, has become the world’s largest generator of renewable energy from wind and solar, boasting over 34 gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity as of Q1 2024 and a staggering development pipeline exceeding 20 GW. Their strategic investments in battery storage – deploying over 3 GW globally – are crucial for grid stability as intermittent renewables proliferate, showcasing an integrated approach to the clean energy transition. Their ambitious “Real Zero” goal targets eliminating all scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2045 without relying on offsets, a testament to their commitment to genuine decarbonization, backed by massive capital expenditure plans exceeding $85 billion for 2023-2026 focused on renewables and grid modernization.
The transportation sector, a major emissions source, is being revolutionized by champions like Tesla, whose impact extends far beyond popularizing electric vehicles. Tesla’s core mission accelerates the shift to sustainable energy, evidenced by deploying over 20 Terawatt-hours (TWh) of cumulative clean energy generation and storage through its solar panels and Powerwall/Powerpack/Megapack batteries as of 2023. Their relentless focus on battery technology – reducing cobalt content, increasing energy density, and driving down costs – has been instrumental in making EVs accessible. While facing scrutiny over its own supply chain, Tesla actively sources responsibly, publishing annual Impact Reports detailing mineral sourcing and recycling efforts, and its Gigafactories increasingly utilize on-site solar and aim for high levels of renewable energy use. Their vertically integrated approach, controlling battery production and software, allows for rapid innovation cycles crucial for scaling sustainable transport. Complementing vehicle electrification is the critical need for sustainable logistics, where Maersk is making bold strides. The global shipping leader has committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, a decade ahead of the initial IMO industry target. Their tangible action includes ordering 25 dual-fuel vessels capable of running on green methanol, with the first already operational, and securing partnerships to scale green fuel production. Maersk is actively exploring ammonia as another zero-emission fuel pathway and heavily investing in optimizing vessel operations through AI for route and speed optimization, significantly reducing fuel consumption even with conventional fuels while the green fuel infrastructure scales. Their Eco Delivery product, offering customers carbon-neutral transport using sustainable biofuels, demonstrates market-driven solutions, with volumes growing exponentially year-on-year.
The technology hardware sector, grappling with resource intensity and complex global supply chains, finds leadership in companies like Apple. Apple’s ambition is profound: to make every product carbon neutral by 2030, encompassing its entire global supply chain and product lifecycle. This requires monumental effort, and progress is tangible. They have achieved 100% renewable electricity for their global corporate operations since 2018 and are driving their vast manufacturing network – over 300 suppliers as of 2023 – toward the same goal, with commitments covering over 16 gigawatts of renewable energy online. Apple is pioneering material innovation and circularity: the latest Apple Watch models incorporate 100% recycled cobalt in batteries and 100% recycled gold in plating and wire, the MacBook Air with M3 features 50% recycled plastic and 100% recycled aluminum in the enclosure, and they are utilizing recycled rare earth elements across components. Their disassembly robots, like Daisy and Dave, and growing network of Material Recovery Labs aim to close the loop, targeting eliminating mining altogether through advanced recycling and material substitution. Patagonia, while an apparel company, operates with the ethos and impact of a green tech champion, particularly in material science and supply chain ethics. Its self-imposed “Earth tax,” the 1% for the Planet commitment, has donated over $200 million to environmental groups since 1985. Patagonia relentlessly innovates with recycled materials (over 87% of their line used recycled materials in Fall 2023), organically grown cotton (eliminating pesticides since 1996), and regenerative organic certified practices to rebuild soil health. Their radical transparency through the Footprint Chronicles traces materials back to farms and factories, holding themselves and suppliers accountable. Most significantly, founder Yvon Chouinard transferred ownership to a Purpose Trust and non-profit in 2022, ensuring all company profits fund climate and conservation efforts, structurally embedding planetary health above shareholder returns – an unprecedented corporate model prioritizing sustainability as its core fiduciary duty.
The enablers of circularity and resource recovery are equally vital champions. Redwood Materials, founded by former Tesla CTO JB Straubel, tackles the looming challenge of end-of-life batteries head-on. Their mission is to create a closed-loop domestic supply chain for critical battery materials. Their hydrometallurgical process recovers over 95% of the critical metals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and copper from end-of-life batteries and manufacturing scrap, significantly reducing the need for environmentally damaging virgin mining and enhancing supply chain security. Redwood is rapidly scaling its Nevada operations and expanding into South Carolina, partnering with major automakers (Ford, Volkswagen, Toyota) and battery producers (Panasonic) to secure feedstock and supply recycled materials for new batteries, aiming to produce anode and cathode components with a drastically lower carbon footprint than virgin materials by 2025. In the realm of industrial decarbonization, H2 Green Steel is a pioneering force demonstrating disruptive green tech. Utilizing hydrogen produced via electrolysis powered exclusively by Sweden’s abundant renewable electricity, they are building the world’s first large-scale green steel plant in Boden. This process eliminates the fundamental need for coking coal, the source of ~90% of the steel industry’s CO2 emissions. Their offtake agreements with major manufacturers like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Siemens (representing over 7 billion Euros in future revenue by 2030) underscore the market demand for truly green primary steel. Their model offers a blueprint for decarbonizing one of the world’s most carbon-intensive industries, proving the technical and commercial viability of green hydrogen in heavy industrial processes.
These champions, while diverse in their sectors and strategies, share common threads: audacious, science-based targets validated by organizations like SBTi; radical transparency in reporting progress and challenges; deep integration of sustainability into core R&D and business models, not peripheral CSR; pioneering collaboration across value chains to drive systemic change; and a willingness to invest heavily upfront for long-term planetary and economic resilience. They navigate complex challenges – scaling green hydrogen and SAF, ensuring ethical mineral sourcing, perfecting large-scale recycling, managing Scope 3 emissions across sprawling networks – but their progress is demonstrable and accelerating. Their leadership proves that the green tech revolution is not just about generating clean energy but about fundamentally transforming how we build everything, from the molecules upwards, creating a circular, equitable, and truly regenerative economy. They are not merely participants in the sustainability movement; they are its architects, demonstrating through concrete action that a thriving future for business is inextricably linked to a thriving planet. Their continued innovation and scaling efforts represent humanity’s most promising engine for achieving a net-zero, nature-positive world.
India’s aviation sector is soaring—literally. With over 150 million passengers in 2023 and projections to become the world’s third-largest aviation market by 2026, the environmental toll is impossible to ignore. Airports contribute 5% of global aviation emissions, and India’s aviation sector alone emits 20 million tons of CO₂ annually. Yet, amidst this growth, a quiet revolution is unfolding. From Cochin’s solar-powered terminals to Delhi’s wastewater recycling systems, India is pioneering a new model for sustainable aviation infrastructure.
This is the story of how Indian airports are balancing explosive growth with ecological responsibility—and what the world can learn from their experiments.
Cochin International: The World’s First Fully Solar-Powered Airport
In 2015, Cochin International Airport (CIAL) in Kerala made history by becoming the first airport in the world to run entirely on solar power. What began as a 12 MW solar plant has now expanded to 50 MW, generating 200,000 units of electricity daily—enough to power 60,000 homes. On sunny days, the airport feeds surplus energy back into the state grid.
The numbers speak for themselves:
But CIAL didn’t stop at solar. The airport also:
The lesson? A single innovation—solar energy—can catalyze broader sustainability efforts.
Delhi’s IGI Airport: A Megahub Goes Green
Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, handling 70 million passengers annually, faces a unique challenge: scaling sustainability without disrupting operations. Its multi-pronged approach includes:
Energy: From Carbon-Intensive to Net-Zero
Water: Closing the Loop
3. Waste: From Landfill to Circular Economy
The lesson? Even mega-airports can decarbonize—if they treat sustainability as an operational priority, not just PR.
Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Airport: The Carbon-Neutral Pivot
Mumbai’s airport, constrained by urban sprawl, turned to smart design and tech to reduce emissions by 50% :
Its most innovative move? Vertical gardens along terminal walls—30,000 plants that absorb 1.5 tons of CO₂ annually while reducing indoor temperatures by 3°C.
The lesson? Urban airports can leverage space-efficient green tech to compensate for land limitations.
Noida International Airport (Jewar): The Greenfield Revolution
Slated to open in 2025, Noida International Airport (NIA) is designing sustainability into its DNA:
Its Digital Tower—controlled remotely from 50 km away—eliminates the need for energy-intensive ATC buildings.
The lesson? Greenfield projects can leapfrog legacy systems and set new benchmarks.
The Challenges: Why India’s Green Airport Dream Isn’t Easy
Despite progress, hurdles remain:
Yet, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is pushing forward:
The Future: What’s Next for Indian Aviation?
As ICAO’s Aviation Environmental Report 2023 notes, India is now a global testbed for scalable green airport solutions.
India’s airport infrastructure is emerging as a global benchmark in combining growth with sustainability. Cochin International Airport leads by example with its pioneering solar energy adoption, becoming the world’s first fully solar-powered airport. Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport has implemented closed-loop water systems and energy-efficient retrofits, demonstrating how existing infrastructure can be optimized for lower emissions. Meanwhile, Noida’s upcoming greenfield airport is embedding sustainable practices from the ground up. These models show that emerging economies can build for expansion while prioritizing renewable energy, water conservation, and green design from the outset.
As Union Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia declared: “Our airports will be net-zero—not because it’s trendy, but because it’s essential.” For a sector often criticized for its climate impact, India’s green airports are rewriting the rules—one solar panel at a time.
On a typical day, over 100,000 flights crisscross the globe, leaving behind contrails and a staggering carbon footprint. As the world grapples with climate change, this dilemma in the area of aviation as become almost an existential challenge. The industry accounts for 2.5% of global CO₂ emissions, a figure projected to triple by 2050 without intervention. With electric planes still decades away from commercial viability for long-haul flights, and also as international travellers increasingly opt for carbon offsets, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) has emerged as the most realistic pathway to decarbonize air travel. Made from renewable sources like agricultural waste, algae, and even carbon captured from the air, SAF can reduce aviation’s carbon footprint by up to 80% compared to conventional jet fuel.
India, with its rapidly growing aviation market (projected to become the world’s third-largest by 2026) and vast agricultural resources, stands at a critical juncture. According to a Deloitte report highlighted in The Economic Times, India could produce 8-10 million tonnes of SAF annually by 2040, enough to meet 20% of its projected jet fuel demand. But will the country seize this opportunity, or remain grounded by policy inertia?
Every winter, northern India’s skies turn toxic as farmers burn an estimated 230 million tonnes of agricultural residue, primarily rice straw. This environmental catastrophe could instead become the foundation of India’s SAF industry. Praj Industries, a pioneer in biofuels, has already demonstrated that rice straw and sugarcane bagasse can be converted into drop-in aviation fuel through advanced biochemical processes.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) sees India’s agricultural byproducts as a game-changer: “With proper collection infrastructure, India could supply enough feedstock not just for domestic needs but for export markets,” says Preeti Jain, IATA’s Assistant Director for India. The numbers support this optimism – every tonne of agricultural waste converted to SAF prevents 3 tonnes of CO₂ emissions compared to conventional jet fuel.
India’s 2.7 million tonnes of used cooking oil (UCO) generated annually presents another promising feedstock stream. Companies like Biofuels Junction are already aggregating UCO from restaurants and food processors for biodiesel production. Scaling this model for SAF could create a circular economy where Mumbai’s samosa oil eventually powers flights from Delhi to Dubai.
Despite its potential, India’s SAF industry remains in the taxiing phase. While the U.S. offers a $1.25/gallon tax credit for SAF producers and the EU mandates 2% blending from 2025, India lacks comparable incentives.
While the Bio-Aviation Turbine Fuel Policy (2021) marked a significant step in acknowledging Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) as part of India’s energy transition, its impact has been limited due to a lack of enforceable regulations and financial mechanisms. The policy’s voluntary blending targets, rather than mandatory quotas, have failed to drive large-scale industry adoption. Unlike the European Union’s ReFuelEU mandate, which enforces a 2% SAF blending requirement from 2025, India’s approach relies on goodwill rather than binding commitments.
Compounding the issue is the absence of financial incentives for SAF producers. In contrast, the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides a $1.25 per gallon tax credit, dramatically accelerating domestic SAF production. Without similar subsidies or tax breaks, Indian refiners and biofuel companies face prohibitive costs, making SAF three to five times more expensive than conventional jet fuel.
Additionally, India lacks standardized certification systems for alternative feedstocks like agricultural residue and used cooking oil. This regulatory gap creates uncertainty for investors and delays the scaling of new SAF production methods.
The consequences of this policy inertia are stark. An OpenPR market analysis projects that global SAF production will grow at a 40% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2030, driven by aggressive mandates in the U.S. and Europe. Meanwhile, India—despite its vast agricultural waste resources and rapidly expanding aviation sector—risks falling behind in this critical energy transition. Without urgent policy reforms, the country may miss its chance to become a major SAF producer, instead becoming dependent on costly imports to meet future decarbonization targets.
The Indian Companies Betting on SAF
Praj Industries: The Biofuel Vanguard
The Pune-based company’s “Bio-Mobility” platform has already supplied test batches of SAF to Indian airlines. Their upcoming second-generation (2G) ethanol plants can be retrofitted for SAF production once economics improve.
Indian Oil: The Refinery Revolution
India’s largest oil company is converting part of its Panipat refinery to produce 87,000 tonnes/year of SAF from agricultural waste by 2025. As noted in The Economic Times, this pilot could catalyze industry-wide adoption.
Startups: The Disruptors
Three Possible Flight Paths
As India stands at the crossroads of sustainable aviation, its trajectory in the coming decades could follow one of three distinct scenarios, each with profound implications for its economy, environment, and global energy standing.
The most concerning outlook is The Laggard Scenario, where continued policy inertia leaves India dependent on imported SAF to meet international obligations. By 2040, without domestic production incentives, Indian airlines would be forced to purchase SAF at premium prices to comply with stringent EU blending mandates for Europe-bound flights. This import dependence would not only strain airline finances but also represent a missed opportunity to capitalize on India’s vast agricultural resources, keeping the country on the sidelines of the global green fuel revolution.
A more balanced middle ground emerges in The Middle Path Scenario, where measured policy interventions – perhaps a modest blending mandate of 1-2% combined with limited tax incentives – could unlock domestic SAF production of 3-5 million tonnes annually by 2040. While this would primarily serve domestic aviation needs, it would establish crucial infrastructure and know-how for future expansion. This scenario would see India meeting its own decarbonization goals while avoiding the worst aspects of import dependence, though without capturing the full economic potential of its feedstock advantages.
The most ambitious and transformative possibility is The Global Leader Scenario, where bold policy actions position India as the Saudi Arabia of sustainable aviation fuel. With aggressive blending mandates (5%+), robust production incentives, and strategic investments in feedstock supply chains, India could emerge as a major SAF exporter to Asia and Europe. This path wouldn’t just secure India’s energy independence in aviation – it would create an estimated 300,000 rural jobs in agricultural waste collection, slash farm fire pollution by 40%, and generate a staggering $15 billion in annual revenue according to Deloitte estimates. Such an outcome would transform India from an energy importer to a clean fuel powerhouse, while simultaneously addressing critical environmental and rural economic challenges.
The divergence between these scenarios underscores a critical truth: India’s future in sustainable aviation won’t be determined by technological constraints or resource limitations, but by the ambition and urgency of its policy framework in the coming years. The runway is clear – the question is whether India will taxi cautiously or accelerate toward leadership in the global SAF market.
The pieces are in place: abundant feedstock, proven technology, and hungry corporate players. What’s missing is the policy thrust – blending mandates, tax credits, and R&D funding – to get India’s SAF industry airborne.
As global aviation faces mounting pressure to decarbonize, India stands before a rare opportunity: to transform its agricultural waste into green gold, powering not just its own skies but those of the world. The question isn’t technical or economic – it’s political. Will India’s leaders have the vision to fuel this revolution?
Here is the prescription for sustainability… In a world where the pharmaceutical industry plays a pivotal role in safeguarding human health, a new, sobering reality has emerged, that the very industry tasked with healing the world is leaving behind an environmental footprint that could endanger it. From antibiotic residues flowing into rivers to emissions from manufacturing hubs in Asia, the pharmaceutical supply chain is facing growing scrutiny. The conversation is no longer just about efficacy and access; it is increasingly about sustainability.
At the heart of this reckoning is the alarming rise of pharmaceutical pollution. This is an issue spotlighted during a landmark virtual workshop hosted by Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Europe in September 2024. The discussions revealed a stark truth: the industry’s environmental impact spans continents, with Europe heavily dependent on Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and generics manufactured primarily in India and China. The scale is enormous — 70% of all dispensed medications in Europe are generics, and the environmental cost of their production often lies hidden in distant countries.
Studies have shown that traces of pharmaceutical compounds, from hormones to antibiotics, are found in over 86% of global river samples, creating unintended side effects on ecosystems and accelerating threats like antibiotic resistance (AMR). With an ageing population, rising chronic illnesses, and the cascading impacts of climate change, pharmaceutical use is projected to skyrocket. In Germany alone, demand is expected to surge by up to 67% by 2045.
The challenge is as complex as it is urgent. Antibiotics, for example, once hailed as miracle drugs, are now contributing to a silent crisis. Their residues often leach into the soil and waterways, disrupting delicate microbial ecosystems and fostering resistant strains of bacteria. Recognizing this, the AMR Industry Alliance, established after the 2016 Davos Declaration, is championing responsible effluent management. It developed a Common Antibiotic Manufacturing Framework, now strengthened with an industry-backed certification scheme via the British Standards Institute. This sets stringent limits on antibiotic emissions from manufacturing plants, ensuring discharges remain below predicted no-effect concentrations.
But global adoption remains uneven. While Nordic countries have begun incorporating environmental standards into their procurement policies, others lag behind. Moreover, the World Health Organization (WHO) has stepped in with even stricter guidelines, including mandatory effluent chemical analysis. Yet, alignment between WHO’s approach and the industry’s remains a work in progress.
Sustainable procurement is emerging as a powerful lever for change. In Europe, where public healthcare accounts for a staggering 40% of GDP, greener purchasing can influence the entire supply chain. HCWH Europe is leading the charge, supporting hospitals and procurement bodies with tools like the Sustainable Procurement Index for Health and guidelines for phasing out chemicals of concern. Governments are beginning to recognize that their purchasing power can either perpetuate pollution or become a force for ecological healing.
Legislation, too, must catch up. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has pointed out that pharmaceutical pollution is still largely unregulated. The European Green Deal could become a turning point, offering a robust framework to address environmental impacts from “cradle to grave” — from production and packaging to use and disposal. Stronger laws, if implemented with nuance, could drive innovation rather than stifle access, ensuring medicines remain both affordable and environmentally responsible.
Still, legal frameworks alone are not enough. A genuine transformation of the pharmaceutical supply chain requires a paradigm shift. That means moving from treatment to prevention — reducing demand for pharmaceuticals through investments in public health, disease prevention, and lifestyle education. Healthier societies need fewer drugs, lowering both environmental and financial burdens.
Collaboration will be critical. Initiatives like the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Initiative (PSCI) and Sweden’s PLATINEA platform demonstrate how cross-sector dialogue, involving academia, industry, governments, and civil society, can foster trust and co-create effective solutions. From researchers bridging ecotoxicology gaps to anthropologists tackling social equity, a truly sustainable pharmaceutical future must embrace systems thinking.
Transparency and accountability must also evolve. Public reporting on environmental performance should become standard practice for pharmaceutical firms, guided by global standards like the AMR Alliance’s certification scheme and the upcoming Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). Yet, careful implementation is vital — too much red tape could choke smaller players and disrupt global medicine access.
Ultimately, greening the pharmaceutical supply chain is not just a technical challenge, it is a moral imperative. At stake is not just the integrity of ecosystems or the purity of rivers, but the very health of the communities these medicines are meant to serve. The solutions lie in innovation, legislation, collaboration, and above all, a shared recognition that healthcare must do no harm, not only to people but to the planet we all depend on.
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