ProClime and GNFZ Successfully Conclude Net Zero Regional Series in Chennai at IIT Madras

ProClime and the Global Network for Zero (GNFZ), in partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT Madras), successfully concluded the first season of the GNFZ Net Zero Regional Conclave in Chennai. Held at the esteemed IIT Madras, School of Sustainability campus, the event brought together the city's climate action leaders, entrepreneurs, and academics to define actionable pathways for accelerating India’s Net Zero transition.

Under the theme “Net Zero Now: Bridging Science, Markets, and Policy for a Sustainable Future,” the Conclave delivered a powerful message: climate action is not just a regulatory necessity, but the biggest economic and competitive opportunity of our time.

The afternoon session kicked off with a powerful Welcome Address by Mr. Santosh Manavalan (VP of Technical Development, GNFZ), who set a clear vision for the day, on the transformative opportunity of Net Zero. This was followed by insights from Mr. Tapan Mozumdar (SVP of Operations, GNFZ), who illustrated the role of GNFZ's inclusive certification frameworks in accelerating verifiable emission reduction efforts.

In his opening keynote, Mr. Rajesh Shah (Evolve Energy Group) established that pursuing Net Zero is not a cost centre but a core strategic imperative. He illustrated this with a successful case study of a spinning mill that achieved significant transformation through sustainability integration.

The discussion then shifted to the financial engine of Net Zero: Carbon Markets. ProClime’s CEO, Mr. Kavin Kumar Kandasamy, offered a sharp perspective on Unlocking Carbon Markets in Emerging Economies, detailing how high-integrity carbon credits would be vital for mobilizing capital and generating economic returns for communities. This was followed by a riveting Fireside Chat between Prof. Santosh Kumar Sahu (IIT Madras) and Mr. Vijayakumar Rangaraju (Chief Mission Officer, ProClime), who explored Net Zero Readiness, highlighting the critical need for greater convergence between academia, policymaking, and industry to address institutional gaps.

We also got the hear from Dr. Enoka Shiromalee Munasinghe (Principal Research Officer, RRISL Sri Lanka), who provided a real-world example of community-led projects, where inclusive participation and local ownership is fundamental to building equitable and effective climate solutions. Further continuing the topic of finance, Dr. V. P. Sriram (Professor, Bharathidasan Institute of Management) dissected the potential pathways to Climate Financing for Net Zero. In his talk, he explained mechanisms like green bonds, blended finance and proposed novel solutions like a preparedness fund to tackle climate-related adverse weather events in cities like Chennai.

Following this, Ms. Sriranjani Srinivasan (Associate VP of Technical Development, GNFZ) explained GNFZ’s Data-Driven Net Zero Certification, emphasizing the power of verifiable data for accountability and tracking progress.

The knowledge sessions culminated in a dynamic Q&A Segment, which saw the expert panel address audience questions on finance, policy, and implementation. The evening concluded with Closing Remarks by Mr. Girish R Visvanathan (Director Technical, Earthonomic Engineers), who offered deep reflections on the knowledge shared throughout the afternoon, reinforcing the theme of urgent, collaborative action.

The final takeaways were a clear call for convergence across all sectors, emphasizing that achieving Net Zero requires integrated strategies spanning policy, technology, finance, and community empowerment. The event successfully ended with a productive networking session where attendees forged new partnerships and continued inspired discussions on climate solutions and the path to Net Zero.