Meeting for the first time under the umbrella of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), heads of States and representatives of 43 countries on Sunday pledged their commitment at the highest level for clean, affordable and sustainable energy to combat the climate change.

As a demonstration of its commitment to ISA, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to fund 27 solar projects worth $1.4 billion in 15 countries through Lines of Credit. This is in addition to the projects worth $143 million that are already under implementation in 13 countries. India will be helping these countries, most of which are in Africa, in rural electrification, mini-grid and off grid usage, irrigation, street lighting etc.

Modi also announced a Solar Technology Mission that will look at the various aspects of technology development and innovation in the area of solar energy. In addition, the PM presented 10 action points, including making affordable solar technology available to all nations, raising the share of electricity generated from photovoltaic cells in the energy mix and framing regulations and standards to support the initiative. The PM announced that 500 training slots will be created for member countries to lead research and development.

While calling for concessional financing and less-risky funds for solar projects to provide cheaper electricity and cut carbon emissions, Modi in his address at the founding conference of the ISA said India will generate 175 gigawatts (GW) of electricity from renewable energy sources by 2022. He said in India in order to supplement solar energy generation, the country has distributed 28 crore LED bulbs in the last three years which have helped save $2 billion and 4 GW of electricity.

Modi said India has launched the world's biggest renewable energy programme with a target to generate 175 GW of electricity from renewable sources. Of these, 100 GW is to come from solar and 60 GW from wind. “Of the target for solar energy generation, we have already achieved 20 GW installed solar power,” he said.

The ISA's major objectives include global deployment of over 1,000 GW of solar generation capacity and mobilisation of investment of over $1 trillion into solar energy by 2030.

Co-chairing the event, French President Emmanuel Macron said ISA will bring financing for the member nations easy and help share expertise between them. “We know the hurdles... (there) are financial hurdles, regulations, capacity hurdles as well. We shall, therefore, lift every single one of them…To that effect, it is not enough to look at what Governments are doing. We need a new international deal with the private sector, the international public sector and the civil society as well,” Macron said.

The French President said three primary things need to be done. Firstly, identify solar energy potential in each country, their projects and financing requirement. Secondly, mobilise available finance and, thirdly, to provide a favourable framework.

On financing, he said, the French Development Agency will allocate 700 million euros in additional spending to its commitment to solar energy by 2022, taking the total commitment to 1 billion euros.

Lauding India for taking lead in scaling up its solar power generation capacity, Macron said, renewable capacity has within two years gone up from 39 GW to 63 GW, while that of solar energy has soared by 140 per cent.

“India proves that it is possible. What you are in the process of succeeding in doing is being watched by the entire world. You are attracting investment, you are supporting them, you are training young people and so this is what we shall be doing. This is what 121 countries of the alliance in Asia, Africa, Latin America shall be doing,” Macron said.

In an indirect reference to the United States President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement, Macron said that while some countries quit the historic Paris Climate agreement, the ISA nations have come together to “deliver complete results”.

“They (ISA member nations) started to act and to deliver complete results. They didn't wait, they didn't stop because few countries decided to just leave the floor and the Paris agreement. Because they decided it was good for them, their children and grandchildren and they decided to act and keep acting,” Macron said.

Later, in the Delhi Declaration, the leaders of the founding States of the ISA emphasised on the need for sensitisation and awareness building on the advantages and opportunities for promoting alternative energy at all levels as reflected in the ISA's Framework Agreement. The ISA member States also agreed to increase their efforts to pursue an increased share of solar energy in the final energy consumption in their respective national energy mix, as a means of tackling global challenges of climate change and as a cost effective solution by supporting and implementing policy initiatives.

They committed to facilitate affordable finance, access to appropriate, clean and environment friendly technology and undertake capacity building, including forging partnerships with international institutions and financial institutions for the benefit of developing countries.

ISA was signed by nearly 200 countries in December 2015 in an effort to curb global greenhouse gas emission and limit global warming to within 2 degrees Celsius. In November last year, Syria signed the deal, leaving the US as the only country in the world not to support the framework deal to combat greenhouse gas emissions.

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Countries that have signed, ratified ISA

Australia; Bangladesh; Comoros; Cote d' Ivoire; Cuba; Dominica; Fiji; France; Gabon; Ghana; Guinea; Guyana; India; Madagascar; Malawi; Mali; Mauritius; Nauru; Niger; Papua New Guinea; Peru; Rwanda; Seychelles; Somalia; South Sudan; Sudan; Sri Lanka; Togo; Tuvalu; Uganda; UAE; Venezuela (32)

Countries which have signed but not ratified ISA

Algeria; Benin; Brazil; Burkina Faso; Burundi; Cabo Verde; Cambodia; Chad; Chile; Costa Rica; Democratic Republic of Congo; Djibouti; Dominican Republic; Egypt; Equatorial Guinea; Ethiopia; Gambia; Guinea- Bissau; Kiribati; Liberia; Mozambique; Nigeria; Papua New Guinea; Sao Tome and Principe; Senegal; Suriname; Tanzania; Tonga; Vanuatu; Yemen (30)

Courtesy: Pioneer, Monday, 12 March 2018 | PNS | New Delhi