India, Finland sign MoU for environment protection and biodiversity conservation

India and Finland on November 26, 2020, signed a Memorandum of Understanding for developing and strengthening cooperation between the two nations in the field of environment protection and biodiversity conservation.

The MoU has been signed virtually by the Environment Minister, Prakash Javadekar, and his counterpart from Finland Krista Mikkonen.

While speaking at the event, Prakash Javadekar stated that MoU provides the possibility of having joint projects in the areas of mutual interest and it will commit both the nations to work together towards the fulfillment of commitments made under the Paris Agreement.

Signed a MoU with my Finnish counterpart Ms. Krista Mikkonen.
The MoU will strengthen bilateral cooperation in field of environmental protection and will also help the two nations exchange best practices in areas like prevention of #AirPollution ,promotion of #circulareconomy etc pic.twitter.com/5kpCSdYuWt

— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) November 26, 2020

Significance of MoU for India and Finland:

The signed MoU will be a platform for India and Finland for further advancing the bilateral partnership and support as well as exchange best practices in the areas such as waste management, prevention of water and air pollution, low carbon solutions, promotion of circular economy, and sustainable management of natural resources.

It will further develop scientific, technological, and management capabilities. The countries also aim at developing bilateral cooperation in the field of biodiversity conservation and environmental protection on the basis of reciprocity, equality, and mutual benefit for the promotion of sustainable development.

India achieved its target of reducing emissions:

Environment Minister, Prakash Javadekar informed that India has successfully achieved its voluntary target of reducing the emission intensity of GDP by 21 percent over 2005 levels, by the year 2020. He further informed that India is also poised on achieving a 35% reduction well before the target year 2030.

Also, as part of nationally determined contributions that are submitted under the Paris Agreement, India has decided to take three quantitative change goals:

• Reduction of emissions intensity by 33 to 25% by 2030 from 2005 level.

• Achieving about 40% cumulative electric power installed capacity from energy resources based on non-fossil fuel by 2030.

• To create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide which is equivalent to additional forest and tree cover by 2030.