Four Indians in top 100 ‘Eco Barons’

The global rich, including four Indians — led by Mukesh Ambani — are going green like never before, notwithstanding the severe blow to their riches by the global slowdown, reports Vijay Dutt.

The global rich, including four Indians — led by Mukesh Ambani — are going green like never before, notwithstanding the severe blow to their riches by the global slowdown.

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Philip Beresford, who compiled the first Sunday Times Green Rich List of 100 (worth over £200m) said, “The enthusiasm among the world’s wealthiest for investments in areas as diverse as electric cars, solar power and geothermal energy is unaffected by the recession.”

The 100 Green tycoons or wealthy families worth £200m or more who have made either serious investments in green technology and businesses or hefty financial commitments to environmental causes are worth nearly £267 billion.

The list is topped by billionaire investor Warren Buffet, followed by Bill Gates. It is apparent from the list that many of the world’s richest tycoons and entrepreneurs have embraced environmentalism.

“Indeed, our list is dominated by America’s wealthiest financiers and entrepreneurs,” said Beresford. Americans dominate the list with 35 names. The 17 Chinese on the list are “definitely about mass production of green technologies”, noted Beresford.

There are 10 British or British-based tycoons on the list and seven Germans.