Battle against climate change

As the spectre of climate change looms large on the global stage, its far-reaching impact has spurred a clarion call for collective action. The World Economic Forum has sounded the alarm, ranking climate action failure as the foremost global risk. The hospitality sector, which accounts for approximately 1 per cent of global carbon emissions, has not been exempt from the ominous shadow cast by climate change.

A chorus of voices from within the industry emerged at the BW Hotelier India n Hospitality Summit and Awards 2023. The panel of luminaries, including Pullman & Novotel’s Cluster General Manager Vineet Mishra; Founder of iSambhav, Niranjan Khatri; Area Engineering Director for Delhi-NCR and Director of Engineering at Taj Palace New Delhi, Nishchal Bazaz; Head of Housekeeping at ITC Ltd – Hotels Division, Gunjan Bisarya and Vice President of Materials at Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, Ouseph Francis, collectively expressed their commitment to combating climate change and shared their vision for a greener and more eco-conscious future. Mishra confidently declared, “We will be carbon neutral by 2050.

” His assurance was backed by a suite of initiatives, including the production of organic fruits and vegetables and harnessing solar energy. But it doesn’t stop there. “We have a waste management plant,” Mishra proudly revealed, “which produces energy from that waste and I’m happy to say that 95 per cent of our energy is generated from that source.

” The numbers are staggering. According to Khatri, “The world has had 2,900 giga tons of CO2 from the preindustrial age to the end of the 21st century. ” He acknowledged that climate change is a multi-layered challenge with far-reaching implications for our lifestyles, agriculture and water availability.

In the hotel industry, the impact of climate change is already being felt. Extreme weather events are driving up operational costs and dissuading tourists from visiting certain destinations. Bazaz laid out the hotel’s mission: “Our aim is to involve a sustainable partner and help reduce carbon footprints.

” He highlighted projects like a sustainable cooling system and the battle against fossil fuel laundering as vital components of their strategy. For Bisarya, the journey towards sustainability begins at home. She explained, “In housekeeping, we use eco-friendly chemicals that don’t harm our environment and we implement waste segregation at the source, differentiating between wet and dry waste.

” The commitment extends to waste reduction as well, with the establishment of an in-house water bottling plant preventing 90 per cent of plastic waste from escaping into the environment. Francis emphasised the pivotal role of awareness. “We engage with a multitude of vendors to spread awareness about these initiatives,” Francis noted.

Replacing plastic toothbrushes with wooden alternatives and switching from plastic bottles to glass bottles are just some of the tangible steps taken. He underscores the importance of incentivising good practices and raising awareness among people. Through a range of innovative measures, from waste-to-energy projects to sustainable systems and eco-friendly practices, these leaders in the sector are not only reducing their carbon footprints but also setting an example for others to follow.

This article was published in BW hotelier issue dated ” with cover story titled ‘BW HOTELIER IHA 2023 SPECIAL’.