Times Network Sustainability Conclave 2026: Ricky Kej Shares How Music, Mindful Living And Carbon Audits Shape His Fight Against Climate Change

The 2026 edition of the Times Network Sustainability Conclave has drawn together policymakers, business leaders and changemakers to dive into this year's central theme: "India 2035: Building a Self-Reliant and Sustainable Future." Indian musical composer and environmentalist Ricky Kej featured among the event's speakers, taking part in a session where he spoke about the various aspects of sustainability. The session, named, "Composing Change: Championing Sustainability With Music," started with Ricky explaining how he used music for communicating his thoughts on sustainability. "Music is a very powerful language, not just for communicating a message but for also retaining that message, deep in the head of that listener," he explained. With this,

Ricky called when he won his first Grammy in 2015, for an album based on sustainability. And this is when he decided to take that plunge and create music only about the topics very "dear" to him, mostly the environment.The Many Aspects Of Sustainability Explaining how he approaches his music, Ricky cited many examples. He recollected, in 2015, at the Climate Change Conference in Paris, every world leader has to come on the stage and give a speech. "There was one world leader from the Republic Of Kiribati, he went up on stage and spoke for just 30 seconds - explaining that I come from the Pacific Island Nation of Kiribati, please pass a resolution that ensures my people stay above the water. That's all he said. So, I visited the nation and made a song on the same."Also Read: Adah Sharma Calls Killing Animals for Bags and Shoes 'Tacky,' Advocates for Fuss-Free Sustainable Fashion For the unversed, Kitibati is a small island nation in the central Pacific Ocean, made up of 33 atolls and reef islands scattered across a vast stretch of ocean, with a population of around 120,000 people. Most of its landmass sits barely two meters above sea level, making it one of the most vulnerable countries on Earth to rising seas. As global temperatures rise, glaciers and ice sheets melt, and warming ocean water expands, sea levels are climbing steadily. For low-lying atoll nations like Kiribati, even a small rise can be catastrophic. Saltwater is already seeping into freshwater supplies, eroding coastlines, and swallowing farmland. Scientists have time and again warned that if current warming trends continue, much of Kiribati's habitable land could become uninhabitable or fully submerged within decades, potentially by the end of this century.Trying to make people more and more aware about the same, Ricky performs this song wherever he goes. Through this, the composer hopes to turn a distant statistic into something people can actually feel - using melody and rhythm to carry Kiribati's story far beyond diplomatic halls and climate summits, ensuring the island nation's plea for survival lingers in listeners' minds long after the music stops.On being asked how he tries to do his bit, Ricky said, "For the last 10 years, I have been travelling to the length and breadth of India and trying to document these songs which are about the threat of extinction."Also Read: 'Do Your Homework': Shriya Pilgaonkar says Sustainability Needs Critical Thinking, not Viral OpinionsHe explained that when it comes to mitigating the effects of climate change, the basic principals need to apply for everyone. Ricky revealed how he tries to manage his own carbon print, once every quarter. Speaking about the same, he said, "I travel and do concerts, so I get my carbon footprint audited every quarter. Everything is put to a number. And then I have a meeting with my team, and we figure out what measures can be taken to reduce my carbon footprint." Ricky cited an example by saying I try and travel only when it is essential. "I do many more things like not engaging in fast-fashion. I mostly wear a single suit, the one I am wearing today. I buy good quality today and keep rewearing them. I extract the most amount of money from my clothes." Ricky also revealed that he does not own a car and uses public transportation. The last thing he does is to have a meat-free diet.Ricky Kej's session at the conclave made one thing clear: Sustainability is not an abstract policy goal reserved for summits and speeches. it is a set of everyday choices, backed by conscious effort. Whether through a haunting melody about a sinking island nation or the discipline of auditing his own carbon footprint each quarter, Kej's approach to climate action rests on a simple belief - that awareness only matters when it translates into behaviour.