The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been granted approval for organizing a Panel Discussion on "Accelerating Electric Mobility with green jobs and gender parity" on 10.11.2021 at Green Zone of COP26 in Glasgow, UK.

This year's conference aimed to reach a consensus on actions to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels and to secure net- zero emissions by 2050. At the heart of COP26, there were, negotiations involving the 197 Parties to the UNFCCC. The UK aimed to bring countries together to agree to a comprehensive, ambitious and balanced outcome that takes forward coordinated climate action and resolves key issues related to the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement.

As a socially responsible organisation, The Bengal Chamber took a pledge − "As a leading and relevant representative of businesses, governments, policy, institutions and civil society in general, The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry is looking forward to working together with all stakeholders in realizing the goal of Zero Emission in the next few decades. We must all go faster and this is the motto that is driving us as we go ahead with this universal dream." said Mr. Subhodip Ghosh, Director General, The Bengal Chamber. It was released at a ceremony addressed by Mr. Alok Sharma, COP26 President.

The Bengal Chamber Team in Glasgow comprised of Mr. Gautam Ray, Senior Vice President, The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry & Executive Director (HR & Admin)

− CESC Limited & President (HR) − Power Group, RPSG, Mr. Deb A Mukherjee, immediate Past President, The Bengal Chamber and Ms. Angana Guha Roy Chowdhury, Director, Head of Operations, The Bengal Chamber.

Mr. Neil Spann, CEO, Power Roll Limited and Mr. Don Scott, Business Development Director, Power Roll Limited also joined the Delegation.

The Panel Discussions focused on the followings:

• Kolkata’s success story on E− vehicles in public transport

• Green Solutions for the city− Case study of New Town, satellite of Kolkata

• Implementation of low price green vehicles − Job creation through electric rickshaws and toto rickshaws

• Gender parity in e mobility

• More inclusion of EVs in public transport− focusing on infrastructure

• Financing of e−vehicles (including low price vehicles)

Janab Firhad Hakim, Hon'ble Minister−in−Charge, Department of Transport, Government of West Bengal; Chairman, Board of Administrators, Kolkata Municipal Corporation and Chairman, WBHIDCO Limited was the Lead Speaker who joined virtually from The Bengal Chamber in Kolkata. Mr. Arnab Basu, Vice President, The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Advisory Leader & Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers Pvt. Ltd. along with Mr. Manohar Bethapudi, Head Growth & Corporate Strategy, Motovolt Mobility Pvt. Ltd. and Mr. Apurva Sircar, Head Marketing, Bandhan Bank Limited also joined from the Chamber.

Dr. Ajay Mathur, Director General, International Solar Alliance also took part in the panel discussion virtually.

Amongst others were Shri Debashis Sen, Chairman, New Town Kolkata Development Authority and New Town Kolkata Green Smart City Corporation Ltd, Dr. Daniel Bradley, Team Leader, Low Carbon Growth, British High Commission, India, Mr. Subir Chakraborty, President Designate, The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Exide Industries Limited who also joined virtually.

There were audiences both at the Chamber in Kolkata and in Glasgow. This apart the programme was streamed online.