Green Goa Summit 2024: A Successful Gathering of Experts and Stakeholders for Sustainable Development
The Green Goa Summit 2024, organized by the Vibrant Goa Foundation in partnership with the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB), in partnership with DITC, SORR India, Circular Seed, GEDA, and CEE, was successfully held on August 31, 2024, at the prestigious Durbar Hall, Raj Bhavan, Goa. The summit brought together over 700 attendees, including experts, policymakers, industry leaders, and students, to address pressing sustainable development and environmental challenges in Goa.
Event Highlights:
- Inauguration and Welcome Address:
The summit commenced with a welcome address by Mahesh Patil, Chairman of GSPCB, setting the tone for a day of insightful discussions and collaborative efforts. - Keynote Address:
Dr Ashok Khosla, Chairman of Development Alternatives (DA), delivered the keynote address, emphasizing the importance of integrating sustainable practices into all sectors of development. - Guest of Honor Addresses:
The summit featured addresses by distinguished guests, including:- Suresh Prabhu, Founding Chancellor, Rishihood University, Sonipat
- Aleixo Sequeira, Minister for Environment, Law & Judiciary
- Shripad Naik, Minister for Power & New Renewable Energy, Government of India
- Ajay Gramopadhye, Chairman of the Green Goa Summit, outlined the event’s process and resource utilization, highlighting the collaborative efforts that made the summit possible along with vote of thanks
- Overview of SDG Perspective and Current Status in Goa:
Babaji Gaonkar, Statistical Officer, DoPSE, provided an overview of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their current status in Goa, setting the stage for in-depth discussions. - Presentations:
The summit featured insightful presentations by:- Dr. Padma Rao, Chief Scientist, CSIR-NEERI on Carrying capacity
- Commandant P.K. Khuswaha &Rob Manning (Australia) of SORR India on Cleantech Solution of Oil Recovery and Remediation
- Narendran Subramaniam, Circular Seed (Australia) spoke on technology of mobile facility of converting PET bottles waste to Oil
- Panel Discussions:
Two key panel discussions were held:- Green Practices in Goa: Moderated by Rajkumar Kamat, Chairman, Vibrant Goa Foundation, with panel members Ranjit Phillipose of TAJ Group, Kiran Desai of Deccan Fine Chemicals and Goa Shipyard.
- Circular Economy for Goa: Moderated by Prabjot Sodhi of CEE, Ahmedabad, with contributions from experts from Dr Rachana Aurora, GIZ and Prof Yogendra, Kevumpu University, Shimoga.
- Discussion on Roadmap for Goa’s ESGs:
Led by Dr Ashok Khosla, this session involved various experts likes of Dr Suneel Pandey of TERI, Dr Janarthanam, contributing to the roadmap for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards in Goa; Chairman, Goa State Research Foundation and Dr Pradip Sarmokadam, Member Secretary, Goa Biodiversity Board - Valedictory Session:
The summit concluded with a summary by Mahesh Patil and the signing of eight Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with key organizations, symbolizing the commitment to implementing the summit’s recommendations. Dr. Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa, graced the valedictory session as the Chief Guest, and emphasised on having Green Industries and Green jobs created in Goa, Mauvin Godinho as the Guest of Honor, said New Clean Technology shall be embarrassed for environment protection as done in his constituency like WOW project.
Summit by the Numbers:
- Total Attendees: 703
- Students: 306
- Speakers: 28
- Panel Discussions: 3
- MOUs Signed: 8
- Student Buddies: 17
The Green Goa Summit 2024 served as a crucial platform for fostering sustainable practices and enhancing collaboration among stakeholders in Goa. The successful outcome of this summit marks a significant step forward in Goa’s journey toward a sustainable and environmentally conscious future.
