Every year, World Environment Day provides all of us an opportunity to take a moment’s pause and relook at our actions that earn us our position on this great big blue dot in the Universe.

This World Environment Day is a special one, themed ‘Only One Earth’ with a focus on “Living Sustainably in Harmony with Nature”. It motivates us to invest in our planet through our actions in fostering green-technology enterprise collaborations in the Europe-India Business Corridor.

However, it is not all business at the European Business and Technology Centre, we keep an eye out for the most effective and innovative acts of kindness from people invested in our planet’s longevity.

So here are a few movements that we find inspiring.

1. Afroz Shah Foundation

Started 358 weeks (about 7 years) ago, as their website emphatically mentions, this effort has grown in size and action, and can now effortlessly claim to being the World’s Largest Beach Clean Up effort ever. The foundation takes a multi-level approach through reduce and reuse of plastic, bringing behavioural change and fostering zero-garbage communities. We salute Afroz Shah’s efforts and the citizens who have come forth and joined hands with him.

2. Planet B by Ratika van Noord Bhatnagar

‘Planet B - the making of MITRA’ by Ratika van Noord Bhatnagar is a sci-fi, fantasy, adventure story for pre-teen children. Based in a dystopian future world, the main purpose of the book is to create awareness about sustainability, promote waste-segregation at source and to encourage circular economy. Keeping the purpose of the book in mind, it has been printed with soy-based inks on 100% recycled paper.

3. Ocean Cleanup – System 002 - Jenny

Founder and CEO, Boyan Slat started Ocean Cleanup in 2013 with a single-minded aim of cleaning the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Now, a decade later, he has introduced System 002. All the systems so far have been named after characters from the movie Forrest Gump. The system 002 titled Jenny has already ramped up the aspirations and the work of the not-for-profit.

UN Environment Programme partner intiatives are a beacon of information and awareness each year on World Environment Day. This year we are feeling inspired by

4. Concert for Climate

Concert for Climate to celebrate the release of Everland’s “The Forest Plan.” Artists from around the world will lend their voices to raise awareness of the urgent need to end deforestation by 2030 and safeguard life on Earth. The all-star lineup will include, MC - Kodjo Akolor, Swedish comedian and TV personality; Gennady, actor, vocalist, and interpreter of sounds of nature; Rusty Watson & The Legacy Singers backed by the Solid Gospel; Julian Lennon, artist and founder of the White Feather Foundation, debuting “Change”, a song commissioned by Everland and featured in “Kasigau”; All Ways with Dara Hart and Josh Tosteson, otherworld acoustic artists; Julian Marley and the Uprising, reggae activist, musician, and band debuting a new song commissioned by Everland5.

5. 25th CinemAmbiente Film Festival

The CinemAmbiente Film Festival was founded in Turin in 1998 to showcase the best in international environmental documentaries and promote environmental filmmaking at events throughout the year. Over 100 films will be screened on-site and online during the 25th internationally renowned festival. In addition to the screenings, prizes will be awarded to the best films in numerous film categories. Debates, meetings with film directors, Q&A sessions, exhibitions, book presentations and plays will also occur. The event is free of single-use plastics, and all emissions are compensated.

At EBTC, we are 100% committed to make the world a more liveable place for future generations through demand-driven collaborations in the Europe-India Business Corridor. Innovation and sustainability are at the heart of everything that we do.

Over the years, EBTC has played a significant role in transforming path-breaking ideas relating to climate change, carbon neutrality and green technology to create value-added business propositions. Through its various projects and initiatives, the organisation supports the scaling-up of such technologies and solutions.

The Living Lab is one such unique project in this regard. Supported by Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) and Smart Cities Mission, the Lab allows European SMEs to pilot and test their solutions in an Indian context in a LIVE environment. It features a team of specialists in running challenges to find customised solutions to important issues.

In addition to this, the organisation plays an important role in the implementation of flagship EU projects like the EU-India Clean Energy and Climate Project, EU-India Business Support to Policy Dialogues Project, EU-India Urban Partnership and much more.

We will sign off with a thought we truly believe in, every day is World Environment Day and this is the time to invest in our planet. It’s time we act now!