Vikas Vij

Vikas Vij
Vikas is a staff writer for the Sustainable Development news and editorial section on Justmeans. He is an MBA with 20 years of managerial and entrepreneurial experience and global travel. He is the author of "The Power of Money" (Scholars, 2003), a book that presents a revolutionary monetary economic theory on poverty alleviation in the developing world. Vikas is also the official writer for an international social project for developing nations "Decisions for Life" run in collaboration between the ILO, the University of Amsterdam and the Indian Institute of Management.

Posts by This Writer

2 years 5 months ago

(3BL Media/Justmeans) – Entrepreneurship in Africa has emerged as one of the most sustainable tools to generate jobs. A 2015 study by Approved Index, a UK based group, ranked Africa near the top in terms of entrepreneurship. Global investors are increasingly recognizing the rise of entrepreneurship and the changing business landscape in the African continent.

At a recent Youth Connekt Africa Summit co-hosted by UNCTAD and the Government of Rwanda, Alibaba founder Jack Ma announced the launch of a $10 million African Young Entrepreneurs Fund. Ma, who is Special Advisor to UNCTAD for Youth Entrepreneurship and Small Business, said that he...
2 years 6 months ago

(3BL Media/Justmeans) – Sustainable infrastructure investments have a critical role to play in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to the Rockefeller Foundation, there is a $2.5 trillion annual funding gap in developing countries alone to achieve the SDGs.

The recent UN General Assembly (UNGA) retreat convened in New York highlighted the need to mobilize new and additional resources for financing sustainable infrastructure in developing countries, and aligning investments with the SDGs. The retreat was convened under the theme, ‘Catalyzing New Coalitions to Accelerate Co-Financing of Sustainable...
2 years 6 months ago

(3BL Media/Justmeans) – Climate action is no longer limited only to the direction provided by a country’s policy makers. Private organizations are playing a proactive role, governed by economic and ethical imperatives and supported by investors, consumers and other stakeholders.

Johns Hopkins has been making consistent progress toward its goal of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 51 percent by 2025. The university has now published its annual sustainability report, which shows it has considerably reduced environmental impact while growing operations.

The report highlights some of the innovative methods and solutions that...
2 years 6 months ago

(3BL Media/Justmeans) – Large technology companies are increasingly investing in AI and machine learning. According to a recent McKinsey report, in 2016, companies such as Google, Facebook and Baidu spent between $26 and $39 billion on AI research.

Microsoft has now announced the launch of AI for Earth, a new program dedicated to AI-based projects in the areas of agriculture, water, biodiversity and climate change. Led by Microsoft Chief Environmental Scientist Lucas Joppa, the program will donate up to $2 million in Microsoft tools, services and training to support environmental projects.

Many people worry about how AI may replace...
2 years 6 months ago

(3BL Media/Justmeans) – Global companies have the opportunity use their scale to make a positive difference to the planet. Some of these companies are now striving to make the aspirational attainable. They are demonstrating a determination to find the best ways to support global goals of ending poverty, fighting inequality and protecting the environment.

Target has recently published its 2016 Corporate Social Responsibility Report, which highlights the progress made with regard to its sustainability goals. The report also focuses on the company’s new commitments built around products, team, communities and the planet.

The expansive...
2 years 6 months ago

(3BL Media/Justmeans) – Small businesses and young entrepreneurs can benefit the most from a wealth of innovative and cutting edge business advice, support and mentoring from business schools. Once business academics become more accessible and help businesses start up and grow, it will encourage more entrepreneurs to come forward and seek knowledge and ideas to build more sustainable and productive companies.

The newly-launched Small Business Charter website is breaking new ground by connecting small business managers and entrepreneurs with business advice and support from some of the world’...
2 years 6 months ago

(3BL Media/Justmeans) – Sustainable or ESG investing originally broke ground when fund managers began actively engaging with companies and started voting down inefficient governance decisions. Firms with weak ESG commitments started getting excluded from fund investment portfolios. The asset managers eventually began handpicking companies with a strong focus on ESG factors and socially responsible and ethical approaches.

In a report published last year, ESG data provider UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association (UKSIF), said €2.6bn was invested in engagement strategies at the end of 2015, an increase of 53 per cent from 2013....
2 years 6 months ago

(3BL Media/Justmeans) – The central aim of the Paris climate agreement is to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century below 2 degrees Celsius. The agreement also aims to boost the ability of countries to deal with the impacts of climate change.

However, the official pullout of the US from this historic accord has led to questions about the commitment of American companies to carbon reduction targets. Thirty leading American companies responded to the pullout by reaffirming their commitment to CO2 reduction goals. But these companies account for just six percent of...
2 years 6 months ago

(3BL Media/Justmeans) – Regional sustainable development emphasizes the mitigation of regional disparities across the globe, and seeks to address local economic, social and ecological concerns to build a more equitable world. Multinational companies have a responsibility to focus on ESG efforts in all the communities they represent worldwide.

Whirlpool Corporation has now released its 2016 Sustainability Report, which presents a broader view of its global sustainability achievements in 2016, while showcasing positive impacts on its people and in its communities. The report also highlights Whirlpool’s emphasis on more regional initiatives...
2 years 6 months ago

(3BL Media/Jutmeans) – Sustainable finance is a rapidly accelerating global movement. Countries from China to France and the UK have launched initiatives to boost flows of private capital for climate and sustainability. The value of investment assets committed to the Principles for Responsible Investment is now over $73 trillion.

The sustainable finance movement has now received a strong endorsement from the G7, which joined the G20 and other countries to extend its support to the growing movement. The G7 environment ministers released a statement after their recent meeting in Italy, which called increased sustainable financing “...

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