Impacts of climate change for Real Estate sector in India

Green buildings are gaining momentum around the world, given their financial benefits and smaller environmental and resource use footprint.

Energy insecurity, water scarcity, and climate change pose growing risks for the real estate sector India, yet the connections between these trends and financial impacts are not well understood by analysts, investors, companies, and governments. These issues will affect the risk and return associated with investments in (1) commercial building projects and (2) companies involved in commercial real estate development and investing. The limited energy and water infrastructure; rapidly growing demand for energy and water resources; and physical exposure and vulnerability to climate change impacts, all increase the likelihood and magnitude of financial impacts. Green building investments can minimize energy and water-related risks while achieving net positive returns in as few as three years.

The greatest environmental challenge of our time is without a doubt climate change. Over the coming years and decades climate change will have a stark influence on our lives. Not only through the physical changes in the climate, but also through changes in our energy consumption, travel patterns and many other aspects of our life. Companies will not be unaffected by these changes. Markets will change, as will client requirements and there will be a steep rise in legislation with regards to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. Developing a comprehensive climate change strategy is therefore an essential part of good business management. This article gives a brief description of the elements that each corporate climate change strategy should include.

The management of climate change should adopt two distinct strategies: climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation. Climate change mitigation deals with the reduction in greenhouse gases to the earth’s atmosphere. Carbon foot-printing and carbon accounting form typical measures that are used within the framework of this strategy. Climate change adaptation revolves around measures that address the changes and vulnerabilities of the organisation that will be present as a result of the inevitable physical change in our climate. A good corporate climate change strategy addresses both mitigation and adaptation.

Biofuels. What a great name! It just sounds green. Looking around I see a proliferation of Biodiesel bumper stickers everywhere I look. In my home state of Oregon all filling stations will be required to add at least 10 % ethanol to all gasoline by next year. Environmentalists are cheering as politicians and the media are jumping onto the Biofuel bandwagon. Sounds like a big win for the environment and society – think again, in reality Biofuels are much more brown than they are green.

Here are five reasons why Biofuels may actually be harmful for the environment: