India will propose the launch of an alliance of solar-rich countries to enable growth on a low-carbon path on November 30, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Paris to attend the inauguration of a crucial climate summit.Modi announced this at the India-Africa Forum Summit here and invited solar-rich African countries to join this alliance which is expected to work as a business bloc in the solar energy sector that needs finance and technology to expand.”When the sun sets, tens of millions of homes in India and Africa become dark. We want to light up lives of our people and power their future,” Modi said at the inaugural ceremony of the third India-Africa Forum Summit. “But, we want to do it in a way that the snow on Kilimanjaro does not disappear, the glacier that feeds the River Ganges does not retreat and our islands are not doomed,’ he added.
The launch of this alliance is expected to send a signal to global communities about the sincerity of developing nations in their joint efforts to fight climate change. Many world leaders including US President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will be in Paris at the November climate conference, which is called the 21st Conference of Parties (COP-21).”Our goal is to make solar energy an integral part of our life and reach it to the most unconnected villages and communities,” Modi said on Thursday, setting the tone for the grand alliance, which could work together as a powerful group to get finance and technological support from investors.
It is expected that as many as 107 sunshine countries from across the globe will join the alliance that’s an initiative of Prime Minister Modi. He first announced the possibility of such a group last January, while addressing the first meeting of his Council on Climate Change.The COP-21 is scheduled to conclude on December 11 when the countries are expected to sign a legally binding global climate agreement to jointly deal with climate-damaging carbon emissions.Modi also made it clear that the developing countries would move on the clean energy path on their own terms.
“We are each making enormous efforts with our modest resources to combat climate change. For India, 175 gigawatts of additional renewable energy capacity by 2022 and reduction in emission intensity by 33-35% by 2030 are just two aspects of our efforts. We will also deepen India-Africa partnership on clean energy, sustainable habitats, public transport and climate resilient agriculture,” he explained.It is also true, Modi elaborated, that the excess of a few cannot become the burden of many. “So, when the world meets in Paris in December, we look to see a comprehensive and concrete outcome that is based on the well established principles in the UN Convention on Climate Change,” Modi said.
Modi reiterated his points by reminding rich nations of their responsibilities. “We will all do our part for it. But, we also want to see a genuine global public partnership that makes clean energy affordable; provides finance and technology to developing countries to access it; and the means to adapt to the impact of climate change.”
Source: TOI
