Can India simultaneously achieve Net Zero by 2070, deploy 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030, and guarantee affordable energy security for 1.4 billion citizens?In this episode of The Carbon Circle, host Roshan Ray sits down with Dr. Sandeep Pai, Senior Lead for International Energy Transitions at Duke University. From his early days as a Ramnath Goenka award-winning investigative journalist in the coal fields of Jharkhand to advising global policy at elite think tanks, Dr. Pai brings a unique bottom-up perspective to India’s defining balancing act.We dive deep into the geopolitical realities of the West Asia crisis, the economic feasibility of coal gasification, the upcoming CBAM compliance crunch for Indian CFOs, and how state-owned giants like Coal India and NTPC must transform from within. We also unpack the "chokehold" China maintains over the Global South’s critical mineral supply chains and what India must do to build a resilient, indigenous R&D ecosystem for the future.⏰ Timestamps00:00 - Introduction & Dr. Sandeep Pai’s Journey01:36 - What Journalism Taught Me That Academic Spreadsheets Couldn't12:35 - India's Energy Paradox: Net Zero 2070 vs. Near-Term Growth16:15 - Geopolitical Volatility: The West Asia Crisis & Domestic Coal19:54 - Coal Gasification: A Clean Win-Win or a Temporary Solution?30:38 - Preparing for CBAM: Crucial Timelines & Advice for Manufacturing CFOs34:25 - Transforming State-Owned Enterprises: The Inside Story of Coal India & NTPC45:17 - The Privatization Dilemma in Core Energy Sectors48:08 - The Methane Blind Spot: Why India Omitted Coal Methane from NDCs51:50 - Critical Minerals: Breaking the Chinese Monopoly on Processing59:05 - The Mineral Security Partnership (MSP): Strategic Breakthrough or Just a Press Release?01:01:29 - Mitigating Carbon Risk: How Indian Businesses Can Turn ESG into a Competitive Edge🚀 Key Takeaways From This EpisodeEnergy Addition vs. Replacement: Unlike Europe, India’s transition path is about adding clean energy to meet surging demand, not immediately replacing fossil fuels.The Coal Gasification Frontier: Gasifying coal can reduce emissions by up to 50% compared to traditional power plant burning, serving as a vital bridge for energy security.The Processing Chokehold: The Global South holds the raw mineral wealth, but China controls 60% to 80% of critical mineral processing. India must pivot from raw mining to value-added processing tech.Actionable Advice for CFOs: To survive CBAM and global trade shifts, Indian manufacturers must establish clear net-zero targets, rigorously document emission reductions, and bake sustainability into core corporate policy.🎙️ About the Guest: Dr. Sandeep PaiDr. Sandeep Pai is the Senior Lead for International Energy Transitions and Executive in Residence at the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability at Duke University. He is the co-founder of the Council for Critical Minerals Development in the Global South and the author of Total Transition: The Human Side of the Renewable Energy Revolution. He also co-hosts The India Energy Hour podcast.🏢 About Carbon MandalCarbon Mandal is a premier sustainability consulting firm helping Indian businesses transform climate risk into a distinct competitive advantage. From carbon foot-printing and ESG readiness to long-term decarbonization strategies, we help corporate leaders navigate the road to a sustainable Bharat by 2047.Connect with Sandeep: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandeep-pai-366ba281/Connect with us: connect@carbonmandal.comWebsite: www.carbonmandal.com#TheCarbonCircle #EnergyTransition #NetZero2070 #CriticalMinerals #Sustainability #IndianEconomy #ViksitBharat #ClimatePolicy

Is your state prepared for net zero, or headed for climate regret? In this episode of The Carbon Circle Podcast by Carbon Mandal, host Roshan Rai sits down with Abinash Mohanty, Global Sector Head of Climate Change and Sustainability at IPE Global. Together, they unpack India's groundbreaking Climate Readiness Index and dissect why a shocking 80% of Indians live in districts highly exposed to meteorological disasters.From the frontlines of the 1999 Odisha super cyclone to balancing state budgets with green technology, this conversation cuts through the corporate jargon to reveal what a low-carbon, resilient India must look like by 2047.🕒 Timestamps00:00 – Introduction & Overview of State Climate Readiness05:00 – The Methodology: How we evaluate Indian States15:00 – Key Findings: Top performing states in sustainability30:00 – Identifying the Gaps: Common challenges across regions45:00 – Policy Recommendations & Consulting Insights01:00:00 – Future Outlook: Climate goals for 2030 and beyond01:10:00 – Conclusion & How to get in touch with Carbon Mandal💡 What You'll Learn in This Episode:👉 How India transitioned from mapping mere climate vulnerability to measuring active state readiness.👉 The breakdown of the S-T-F (Systemic, Technological, Financial) Framework used to audit public policies.👉 Why traditional climate risks are fundamentally swapping places across 45% of Indian districts.👉 The raw economic truth behind decarbonizing state-level revenue engines like manufacturing, tourism, and automotive sectors.👉 How corporate ESG teams and business leaders can leverage hyper-granular risk maps for capital allocation and enterprise management.🔗 Connect with the Guest & Partners:Connect with Abinash Mohanty: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abinash-mohanty-ing-05742390/Learn more about IPE Global: https://www.ipeglobal.com/ Partner with Carbon Mandal: https://carbonmandal.com/Inquiries & Consulting Services: Email us at connect@carbonmandal.com🏷️ Keywords & Hashtags#ClimateChangeIndia #NetZero2070 #ClimateReadinessIndex #ViksitBharat2047 #Sustainability #CarbonMandal #TheCarbonCircle #IPEGlobal #ESGIndia #GreenTechnology

Food waste in India is a 92,000 crore problem and BillionCarbon has built a bioreactor that solves it in 72 hours. In this episode of The Carbon Circle Podcast, we unpack how.📺 TIMESTAMPS0:58 - Part Two Introduction & Recap2:16 - Standardization & NPK Mobilization9:29 - Carbon Credits & Climate Impact15:23 - Entrepreneurial Journey & Global Positioning19:10 - Startup Strategy: Pitching & Fundraising30:46 - Building Without Factories34:25 - Policy Levers & Systemic Change43:10 - Future Opportunities & Ecosystem Partnerships48:48 - Collaboration with Carbon Mandal51:26 - Closing Remarks🎙️ ABOUT THE GUESTAnkita Vijayvergiya is the Co-Founder of BillionCarbon, a climate-tech startup focused on decentralised food waste treatment and soil regeneration solutions. She is a London Business School MBA, BITS Pilani alumna, LinkedIn Top Voice, and a World Economic Forum UpLink Top Innovator. BillionCarbon’s mission is to enable 1 billion tons of CO2e mitigation and create 100,000 climate jobs by 2030.💡 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN• Why food waste is one of India’s biggest hidden climate problems• How methane emissions from landfills impact climate change• The science behind BillionCarbon’s 72-hour treatment system• Why decentralised waste treatment matters for Indian cities• How bio-fertilisers improve soil health and carbon sequestration• The economics of climate hardware startups in India• How carbon credits could reshape food waste management• Key policy and ecosystem gaps in India’s circular economy transition🔗 LINKS & RESOURCESConnect with Ankita Vijayvergiya on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankitavijayvergiya/Visit BillionCarbon: https://www.billioncarbon.com/💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATIONDo you think decentralised waste treatment can work at scale in Indian cities? Drop a comment below 📬 CONTACT USHave questions or want to collaborate? Reach out at: connect@carbonmandal.com Website: https://www.carbonmandal.com#FoodWaste #Sustainability #ClimateTech #CleanTech #CircularEconomy

Plastic waste in India is a ₹92,000 crore problem — and the circular economy holds the key to solving it. In this episode of The Carbon Circle Podcast, host Roshan Rai sits down with Dr. Sameer Joshi, Chairman of the Indian Plastics Institute and UN Global Plastics Treaty negotiator, to unpack how India can turn its plastic waste crisis into a circular economy opportunity.What you'll learn:• Why plastic waste is a systems problem — not just a recycling problem• How India's EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) rules are reshaping business models• What the UN Global Plastics Treaty means for Indian companies right now• The 3 biggest risks and opportunities for Indian businesses over the next decade• How design for recyclability can reduce costs — with real examples from automotive• What non-negotiable milestones India must hit in the 2030s to reach a circular economy by 2047⏱ Chapters:0:00 — Introduction and Part 1 recap: plastic waste as a systems problem6:05 — Business model of a plastic recycler in India and the role of waste pickers17:00 — UN Global Plastics Treaty explained: what it is and why it's stalled25:00 — Risks and opportunities for Indian businesses under the treaty35:00 — Waste as a resource: CBAM, circular finance and the automotive sector45:00 — Vikasit Bharat 2047: budget signals, startup ecosystem and clean tech54:00 — Non-negotiable milestones for a circular plastic economy and closing remarks🔗 Connect with Dr. Sameer Joshi:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esameerjoshi/📩 Connect with Carbon Mandal:Website: www.carbonmandal.comEmail: connect@carbonmandal.com#PlasticWaste #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #EPR #IndiaClimate #CarbonCirclePodcast #PlasticsRecycling #UNTreaty #VikasitBharat #GreenIndia #WasteManagement

India generates 26,000 tonnes of plastic waste daily, and recycles less than 60% of it. Dr. Sameer Joshi, Chairman of the Indian Plastics Institute and UN plastics treaty negotiator, breaks down exactly why, and what needs to change.Timestamps:0:00 Introduction to the Carbon Circle and Dr. Sameer Jooshi2:09 Overview of topics covered in the podcast3:06 Dr. Joshi's journey from Pune shop floor to global plastics policy5:58 Understanding polymers vs. plastics13:36 Evolution of the plastic industry and recycling in India18:32 Researching plastic waste management and his PhD journey23:36 Insights from policy rules and navigating plastic bans in Maharashtra33:10 Categorizing plastics and segregation at the source37:04 The role of bulk waste generators and Indian Armed Forces' waste management41:04 The philosophy of "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" and respecting waste43:37 Success of zero-waste exhibitions in India45:48 Three biggest misconceptions about plastic waste50:03 Understanding the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) portal and accountability55:05 Critical failure points in the plastic waste management lifecycle59:52 Closing remarks and looking forward to Part 2What you'll learn:- Why plastic recycling in India starts, or fails, at your kitchen bin- How Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is creating new business accountability- The difference between a national recycling policy and a national resource policy- Why the plastic recycling industry in India predates the plastic industry itself- What the new Solid Waste Management Rules 2026 mean for every household and businessConnect with Dr. Sameer Joshi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esameerjoshi/Connect with Carbon Mandal: connect@carbonmandal.com | www.carbonmandal.com#PlasticWaste #CircularEconomy #IndiaRecycles #EPR #Sustainability #WasteManagement #CarbonCircle

Every year, Indian households throw away enough food to feed nearly 377 million people. While we focus on production, over 60 billion kg of food ends up in landfills annually, rotting into methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than CO2. This isn't just a waste problem; it’s a "broken food-soil loop" where vital nutrients are buried instead of being returned to the earth.In this episode of The Carbon Circle Podcast, Roshan sits down with Ankita Vijayvergiya, Co-Founder of BillionCarbon. Ankita shares her journey from the corporate world to leading a climate hardware startup that is quite literally speeding up nature.At the center of BillionCarbon's work is a breakthrough in biotechnology: a precision bioreactor that treats food waste at the source in just 72 hours, ten times faster than traditional converters. By achieving up to 95% biomass reduction, they are helping hotels, campuses, and large kitchens turn a massive environmental liability into a regenerative asset.This conversation dives deep into the "Building Without a Factory" philosophy, the shifting landscape of Indian waste management policy, and the future of bio-fertilisers in restoring our dying soils.If you want to understand how deep-tech hardware can solve the oldest problem on Earth, waste, this episode is for you.📘 What You’ll Learn 🥬The Broken Food-Soil Loop: Why burying food waste is a double-hit to the planet, causing both high emissions and soil degradation.🥬The 3-Day Transformation: How BillionCarbon’s bioreactors achieve 95% biomass reduction in 72 hours, compared to the 20-30 days required by standard Organic Waste Converters (OWCs).🥬Decentralised Waste Treatment: Why treating waste at the source is the only way to avoid the logistical and environmental nightmare of city landfills.🥬Policy as a Catalyst: How the Solid Waste Management 2026 rules are mandating on-site treatment for bulk waste generators.🥬Climate Economics: The math behind mitigating 0.5 tonnes of Co2 for every tonne of food waste treated.🥬Building Without a Factory: Ankita’s insights on scaling a hardware-led startup through strategic partnerships rather than heavy internal manufacturing.🥬The Future of Bio-Inputs: A look at BillionCarbon’s R&D into liquid bio-fertilisers and solid frass compost to replace chemical alternatives by 2027.🌐 Useful Links BillionCarbon https://www.billioncarbon.com/Carbon Mandal – Official Website www.carbonmandal.comConnect with Ankita Vijayvergiya - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankitavijayvergiya/🤝For partnerships, collaborations, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) projects, sustainability consulting, or to feature on The Carbon Circle Podcast, reach out to:📩 connect@carbonmandal.com🔖Episode Keywords: food waste management India, BillionCarbon, methane emissions, regenerative agriculture, soil health, decentralized waste treatment, climate tech hardware, organic waste converter, Solid Waste Management Rules 2026, carbon credits India, bio-fertilizer, circular economy.#foodwaste #circulareconomy #climatetech #sustainability #vikasitbharat #soilhealth #wastetowealth #carbonmandal #thecarboncircle #decarbonisation #greentech

We often assume that awareness leads to action. But what if the real problem isn’t ignorance, but human behaviour itself?In this thought-provoking episode of The Carbon Circle Podcast, host Roshan Rai, Founder of Carbon Mandal, sits down with Dr. Chengwei Liu, and Professor of Behavioral Science at Imperial College London, to unpack one of the most critical yet overlooked challenges in climate action: why intelligent, informed people still fail to act.Drawing from his groundbreaking research on luck, decision-making, and organisational behaviour, Dr. Liu explores the hidden psychological forces, like the illusion of control, just-world bias, and structural inertia, that quietly shape our inaction on sustainability.This conversation goes beyond climate awareness to examine the deeper systems of human behaviour, organisational failure, and societal norms that prevent meaningful change, even when the stakes are clear.From India’s sustainability paradox, where high awareness coexists with low behavioural change, to the role of nudges, policy design, and cultural context, this episode offers a powerful behavioural lens on what it truly takes to build a sustainable future.If you’ve ever wondered why “knowing better” doesn’t translate into “doing better,” this episode will change how you think about climate action.📘 What You’ll Learn🧠 Why awareness alone fails, and the psychological biases that block climate action🎲 The “illusion of control” and how it distorts our perception of responsibility⚖️ The just-world hypothesis and its surprising impact on environmental behaviour📉 India’s sustainability paradox: high concern, low action, what’s driving the gap?🏢 How organisations fail to act, even when sustainability makes economic sense🔍 The CSRL framework: Cognizing, Searching, Reconfiguring, Legitimizing, explained simply🪄 What “nudges” really are, and why most people misunderstand them⚙️ Why changing systems matters more than changing mindsets🌏 How behavioural design can shape a sustainable, inclusive India by 2047📊 The role of policy, culture, and social norms in driving large-scale behaviour change🌐 Useful LinksCarbon Mandal – Official Websitewww.carbonmandal.comConnect with Dr. Chengwei Liu (Guest) / chengwei-liu-luck-contrarian 🤝 Collaborations, Consulting & PartnershipsFor partnerships, collaborations, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) projects, sustainability consulting, or to feature on The Carbon Circle Podcast, reach out to:📩 connect@carbonmandal.com🔖 Keywords:behavioural science climate change, why people don’t act on climate, sustainability psychology, climate inaction explained, nudges behavioural economics, India climate awareness gap, organisational behaviour sustainability, CSRL framework, climate decision making, Viksit Bharat 2047 sustainability#climateaction #behaviouralscience #sustainability #climatepsychology #netzeroindia #viksitbharat2047 #thecarboncircle #carbonmandal #civicsense #climateleadership

In the latest episode of The Carbon Circle, we dive into the complexities of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and its looming financial impact on global trade.We are joined by Dan Maleski, Lead CBAM Advisor at Redshaw Advisors. As a strategic expert working at the intersection of climate policy and international trade, Dan provides critical guidance to governments, financial institutions, and industrial entities navigating the evolving regulatory landscape.In this episode, Dan highlights a critical gap - Misinterpretation of policies, amplified by headlines and partial information, is leaving businesses underprepared for what’s coming.In reality, CBAM is not going away. And assumptions of exemptions or delays could prove costly.Key Takeaways from the Episode:Margin Shock: For exporters with small margins (e.g., €15/tonne), a CBAM cost of €158/tonne creates an unsustainable financial reality.MSME Vulnerability: While large producers like JSW or Hindalco may scale, mid-market MSME mills face significant risks of market exit.The Pricing Gap: India’s upcoming Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) is forecast at $5-10/tonne, a fraction of the €88/tonne EU ETS price.Strategic Survival: Carbon price hedging and supply chain shifts are temporary fixes; long-term survival requires fundamental decarbonization, such as EAF conversion.This is a conversation you can’t afford to miss.Full Episode is out now

#CarbonCircle #CBAM #ClimatePolicy #CarbonMarkets #Sustainability #GlobalTrade #Decarbonisation