October 23: The 7th G-STIC Conference successfully concluded today after 2 days of rigorous sessions, enthralling presentations, rewarding networking, practical insights, on-ground case studies and data, and above all, an inspiring showcase of the global passion for sustainability and innovation. With a focus on harmonising technology, policy, and business pathways for a sustainable future, the conference featured impactful discussions on climate action, water sustainability, and innovation.
The G-STIC Platform and Conference
G-STIC (Global Sustainable Technology & Innovation Community) is a community of more than 10,000 stakeholders consisting of innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, captains of industry and policymakers from around the globe. The annual, rotating G-STIC Conference ranks among the largest global conferences dedicated to technological innovation and sustainable development. The G-STIC community, innovators, investors and social and economic actors gather at the conference to discuss market-ready technological innovations and solutions that have the potential to substantially impact the Sustainable Development Goals.
Together, they delve into new approaches and strategies to scale up and accelerate the deployment of these solutions. The conference also serves to build knowledge bases and global expert networks in support of the technological transitions needed for the implementation of the Agenda 2030 and the Paris Agreement.
G-STIC 2024
G-STIC 2024 was held in Delhi, India with a plethora of sessions focused on water, health, energy, climate, education and the interconnections among them all. G-STIC 2024 offered a holistic platform to explore cross-cutting solutions that address the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges.
The conference began with a high-level Inaugural Session, featuring welcome and opening remarks by Dr. Jitendra Vir Sharma, Senior Director, TERI, followed by a G-STIC overview presented by Mr. Dietrich Van der Weken, General Manager of G-STIC: Global Sustainable Technology & Innovation Community, Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO), Belgium. This was followed by a Welcome Address by Mr. Nitin Desai, Chairman, Governing Council, TERI, along with video messages from Dr. Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI, and Ms. Inge Neven, CEO of VITO, Belgium and a Special Address by Dr. Paulo Gadelha, Former President of Fiocruz, Brazil, Coordinator of the Fiocruz Strategy for 2030 Agenda. Wrapping up the inaugural session was a Vote of Thanks delivered by Mr. Anshuman, Director, Water Resources Division, TERI.
Ministerial Inaugural Address by Chief Guest, Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Hon’ble Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India
In his highly anticipated inaugural address, Minister Puri underscored India’s commitment to addressing the interconnected challenges of energy demands, and climate change. He delivered a powerful speech addressing India’s energy needs, its commitment to sustainability, and the trilemma of affordability, sustainability, and availability in energy. Minister Puri emphasised India’s proactive approach towards green energy solutions such as ethanol blending, green hydrogen, and LPG distribution. He urged industries, policymakers, and technologists to foster partnerships that bring scalable solutions to the forefront of sustainability.
H.E. Mr. Didier Anna L. Vanderhasselt, Ambassador of Belgium to India, presented the keynote address at the session, highlighting India’s growing influence on global sustainability and innovation. He praised India’s leadership in tackling climate change and advancing socio-economic development. The Ambassador noted Belgium’s strong presence in India through projects led by VITO and Belgian businesses in sectors like renewable energy, semiconductors, space, life sciences, and defence. He emphasised the importance of collaboration between research institutions and private sectors, aligning this with the G-STIC mission and Belgium’s economic policies.
Day 1 Sessions
The inaugural session was followed by 2 plenary sessions for first half of the day 1. Plenary 1was on Health and Climate with a focus on The Paris Agreement, 2030 Agenda and Health followed by Plenary 2 on Water with the theme: Water as a Driver of Multi sectoral Sustainability and Economic Development. The second half of the day saw multiple Deep Dive and Plenary sessions, some of them running in parallel. The plenary sessions included discussions on ‘Green Hydrogen Market Creation Mechanisms for Ensuring and Derisking Offtake’ and ‘AI in or Versus Education: Future Strategies on Innovation Policy for Education’. The Deep Dive session themes included ‘Health, Equity and Climate Change’, ‘Implementation of Climate Action Through the Lens of Different Stakeholders – Part I’, ‘AI in or Versus Education: Future Strategies on Innovation Policy for Education’. It also included a Special Session on ‘Water Sustainability – Leapfrogging Water Reuse and Improved Efficiencies’.
Special Address by Ms. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary (DoWR, RD&GR), Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India
In her address at the Special Session on water, Ms. Debashree Mukherjee provided a stark reminder of the water challenges India faces in light of climate change. She highlighted the increasing frequency of extreme weather events such as heavy precipitation and floods, noting that climate change is already disrupting India’s water cycle and exacerbating the country’s water management challenges. Ms. Mukherjee also stressed the need for better management of water resources, both surface and groundwater, through storage solutions such as dams and reservoirs, and emphasised the critical role of public participation in achieving these goals.
In addressing the agricultural sector, which consumes 83% of India’s water, she called for a radical shift towards improving water use efficiency. She noted the success of initiatives like micro-irrigation and piped distribution networks to minimise losses. She also emphasised the importance of wastewater reuse, citing the Namami Gange program as a pivotal initiative. “We have a national framework for wastewater reuse, and industries such as thermal power plants are now mandated to use treated water within a 25-kilometer radius of STPs. This is a critical step in moving towards a more sustainable water management model.”
Day 2 Sessions
The second day of G-STIC 2024 built on the momentum with dynamic discussions on technological innovations, policy frameworks, and sustainable business practices. Panels explored how cutting-edge technologies can address critical global issues such as wastewater treatment, renewable energy, and climate resilience, diving straight into the issues, with concurrent plenary, deep dive and special sessions. The plenary session focused on ‘The Role of Energy Mix Planning and Power Grids to Achieving Net Zero’, while the Special Sessions deliberated on ‘Digital Technologies to Achieve the SDGs’, and ‘Uniting for nature: Multi stakeholder Solutions for Biodiversity’. The Deep Dive sessions had exhaustive discussions on ‘Education Technology and Innovation: Challenges for Quality and for Teachers’, ‘Agriculture and Food Sustainability’, ‘Green Hydrogen Common Infrastructure Readiness and Global Supply Chain Integration’, ‘WEFE Nexus – Towards Common Grounds to Strengthen Water Security’, and ‘Implementation of Climate Action through the Lens of Different Stakeholders – Part II’.
Keynote Address by Ms.Archana Varma, Mission Director, National Water Mission (NWM), Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India
In her keynote address for the deep dive session on water, Ms. Varma highlighted the profound interdependence between water, energy, food, and ecosystems (WEFE). Through relatable examples, Ms. Varma underscored how decisions in one sector impact policies across others. This interconnectedness necessitates a holistic approach to ensure sustainable growth and equity across sectors. She stressed that India, with 18% of the world’s population but only 4% of its water resources, faces significant challenges in water management, exacerbated by rapid urbanisation and industrialisation.
Ms. Varma also pointed to the need for sustainable energy and water conservation measures to avert a looming water crisis by 2050, when water availability may fall below critical thresholds. She emphasised the National Water Mission’s focus on conservation, reducing wastage, and ensuring equitable water distribution across states. She stated that community involvement is central to these efforts, particularly through initiatives like the Jal Shakti Abhiyan, which engages women and rural communities in water conservation. Ms. Varma concluded with a call for a “whole-of-society” approach to water management to improve water use efficiency and secure India’s water future.
Closing Session and Conclusion
Key figures from across the globe, including industry leaders, policy makers, and researchers, shared their experiences and insights into tackling sustainability challenges, making G-STIC 2024 a resounding success. Participants explored collaboration opportunities between governments, businesses, and research institutions to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
G-STIC 2024 concluded with insightful reflections and a strong call to action at the closing session. Mr. Anshuman, Director of the Water Resources Division, TERI, India, delivered the closing remarks and vote of thanks, emphasising the collaborative spirit and innovative solutions that emerged throughout the event. Mr. Dietrich Van der Weken, General Manager, G-STIC at VITO, Belgium, summarised the key takeaways, highlighting the urgent need to harmonise technology, policy, and business pathways for a sustainable future.
A powerful keynote address by Mr. Nitin Desai, Chairman of the Governing Council at TERI, India, underscored the critical importance of sustainable innovation in addressing global challenges like water, climate, and energy. The closing session reinforced the conference’s goal of fostering cross-sectoral collaboration for a sustainable future. G-STIC 2024emphasised the urgency of leveraging technology for a sustainable future.
In looking ahead, the conference set a clear task: to accelerate the deployment of market-ready technologies, foster deeper partnerships, and ensure that collective efforts are both scalable and sustainable. G-STIC has once again demonstrated that technological advancement, when paired with policy support and economic incentives, can drive the transformations we need.
G-STIC 2024 Hosts
G-STIC was jointly hosted by VITO (the prime research and technology organisation on cleantech and sustainable development in Belgium) and 9 other not-for-profit independent technology research institutes: CSIR (The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, South Africa), FIOCRUZ (Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Brazil), GIEC (Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, China), JITRI (Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute, China), MASEN (Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy), NACETEM (National Centre for Technology Management, Nigeria), STEPI (Science and Technology Policy Institute, South Korea), TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute, India) and TII (Technology Innovation Institute, United Arab Emirates).
