New Delhi, September 2024: In celebration of World Tourism Day, Karma Lakelands hosted its inaugural Green Future Leaders Meet, an event that brought together prominent voices in sustainability. This unique gathering united Karma Lakelands’ sustainability partners alongside renowned entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, and thought leaders committed to environmental sustainability.

The Green Future Leaders Meet offered a one-of-a-kind platform for meaningful discussions on environmental sustainability, providing participants with opportunities to engage with like-minded business leaders, gain insights into global sustainability best practices, and participate in valuable networking and immersive learning experiences.

Keynote speakers included HE Bawa Jain, President of The Centre for Responsible Leadership, Secretary General of Millennium World Peace Summit & World Council of Religious Leaders and Mr. Rajeev Peshawaria, CEO of Stewardship Asia Centre, Singapore. The event also featured Karma Lakelands’ partners, including renowned environmentalist Peepal Baba, 3R Zero Waste, Aspire Solutions, Breathe Easy, Coach Ravinder, HE Bawa Jain, Indian School of Hospitality, Moksh International School, and Mr. Dinesh Chandra. These partners, part of Karma’s Amplified Impact (AI) Initiative, aimed to accelerate the adoption of sustainability practices across various sectors.

The theme for the event, ‘Create Green Future, Now,’ was intended to inspire participants to take immediate, tangible actions over the subsequent three months, ensuring impactful progress in their sustainability journeys. Through interactive discussions, attendees gained valuable insights into becoming responsible leaders, better equipped to address today’s environmental challenges. After the insightful panel discussions, the attendees were taken for an eco tour of Karma Lakelands that included nature walks, interacting with the farm animals and getting to see the various eco initiatives undertaken at Karma. 

Speaking about the event, Mr. Ashwani Khurana, Founder & CEO of Karma Lakelands, stated, “We were thrilled to host our first-ever Green Future Leaders Meet at Karma Lakelands, as sustainability has always been at the heart of everything we do. This event marked a significant step toward uniting thought leaders to build a greener, more sustainable future. Through collaboration and collective action, we believed we could make meaningful strides in addressing the environmental challenges ahead.”

Karma Lakelands, in alignment with the Paris Agreement and national goals of net zero, has undertaken a voluntary, comprehensive assessment of its carbon footprint across energy, wastewater, and forestry sectors for the past five years. The resort aims to achieve carbon neutrality within the next four years by setting ambitious sustainability targets. 

Led by Group Captain (Prof) SN Mishra, visiting professor at TERI School of Advanced Studies and a leading climate change consultant, along with climate interns Mr. Manohar Naik and Mr. Sidharth Jain, the carbon audit and sustainability practices culminated in the report "Karma Lakelands: Accelerating Net Zero Pathways and Sustainability," unveiled during the “Green Future Leaders Meet-2024” on September 27, 2024. 

Key milestones include meeting 20% of energy needs through solar power, achieving a 30% carbon sink through a forest of over 200,000 trees, and enhancing the soil’s carbon-sequestering capabilities. These initiatives have also bolstered business growth, with a 59% revenue increase, driven by higher villa sales and guest stays. 

Karma Lakelands is set to further expand its solar capacity, enhance energy efficiency, and increase forest cover, while actively promoting community engagement and environmental stewardship as part of its journey toward net-zero emissions.

In addition to thought-provoking talks, the event featured interactive sessions, immersive experiences, and networking opportunities with key sustainability leaders. By fostering conversations on best practices and actionable solutions, Karma Lakelands aimed to solidify its position as a thought leader in eco-friendly luxury and green hospitality.