Building on its commitment to combat climate change and foster sustainable development, Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE), the apex body for Indian Public Sector Enterprises (PSEs), in collaboration with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, a leading German federal enterprise for international cooperation, organized a nonresidential regional workshop on “The Role of Climate Co-Benefit Methodologies for Strengthening Climate Action by Indian PSEs”. The workshop, held on 28th and 29th November 2024 in Goa under the Indo-German Support Project for Climate Action in India, was led by SCOPE and GIZ, with knowledge support of a consortium team comprising the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), Oxford Policy Management (OPM), and Perspectives Climate Group (PCG). The objective of the workshop was to –

• Introduce climate co-benefit approach and relevance to PSEs
• Understand PSE’s climate actions such as forestry initiatives and banning Single Use Plastics (SUPs)
• Introduce PSEs to the draft co-benefit assessment framework for Urban Forestry and SUPs and take their feedbacks
• Understand potential capacity building requirements including training needs of the stakeholders

The inaugural session laid a strong foundation for the workshop, equipping participants with the knowledge and motivation to engage in meaningful discussions and activities. Distinguished dignitaries and speakers included Shri Atul Sobti, DG, SCOPE; Dr. Alexander Fisher, Director, Indo-German Climate Project, GIZ, India; Shri Brajesh Kumar Upadhyay, CMD, Goa Shipyard Limited & Vice Chairman, SCOPE; Shri Prabal Vikram Singh, Country Director, OPM India & OPM Bangladesh; and Shri Soumik Biswas, Team Leader (Consortium of CEEW, OPM, and PCG).

A self-paced Certification Course on Climate Change and Climate Action for PSEs was officially launched by SCOPE. This course has been developed by Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH under the Indo-German Support Project for Climate Action in India. The course is supported by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the Federal Government of Germany.

Subsequently, a dedicated Online Knowledge Platform (OKP) on climate change and climate action was launched on the SCOPE website. Smt. Samridhi Jain, Senior Manager, Corporate Affairs, SCOPE introduced the OKP as an initiative aimed at fostering knowledge sharing, collaboration, and synergy among PSEs.

This two-day regional workshop in Goa marked the successful conclusion of SCOPE’s series of four regional workshops. Earlier sessions were held in Delhi (Northern region), Kolkata (Eastern region), and Bengaluru (Southern region). In total, these workshops trained over 160 participants from 52 PSEs across four regions of India. The enthusiastic participation reflects the increasing commitment of PSEs to building climate resilience and advancing sustainable development.