US becomes 101st member country of International Solar Alliance

Nov 11, 2021, 11:21 IST

US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry formally signed the ISA framework agreement on November 10, 2021 during the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.

US becomes 101st member country of International Solar Alliance, Source: ISA/ Twitter
US becomes 101st member country of International Solar Alliance, Source: ISA/ Twitter

ISA member countries: The United States has become the 101st member country of the International Solar Alliance. US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry formally signed the ISA framework agreement on November 10, 2021 during the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.

John Kerry described the move as a major step towards the rapid deployment of solar power. He said, "It has long been coming, and we are happy to join the International Solar Alliance, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the lead in making.”

He tweeted, "Accelerating solar energy deployment globally is critical to keeping a limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming within reach. The U.S. is pleased to join the @isolaralliance at #COP26. Thank you, Prime Minister @narendramodi and @byadavbjp for championing this important endeavor."

Prime Minister Modi welcomed the move with a tweet, "Wonderful news @ClimateEnvoy! I thank @POTUS and wholeheartedly welcome the USA to the @isolaralliance. This will further strengthen the Alliance in our shared quest of harnessing solar energy for a sustainable planet."

Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav, who was present at the signing of the framework agreement, welcomed the US as the 101st member of the ISA. He said, "Happy that now USA is formally a part of International Solar Alliance, a visionary initiative launched by PM Shri @narendramodi Ji in 2015 at Paris COP. The number of countries who are now part of @isolaralliance is now 101."

The Minister also held discussions with the US Special Climate Envoy on Climate Finance, Article 6 of Paris Agreement and adaptation and also emphasised on the urgency of action to provide financial and technological support from the developed countries to the developing ones to ensure Climate Justice.

Green Grids Initiative – One Sun One World One Grid

•India along with the United Kingdom had launched the Green Grids Initiative – One Sun One World One Grid on November 2, 2021 during the World Leaders Summit of the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow.

•The steering committee of the initiative comprised five members- India, Australia, France, the US and the United Kingdom. 

•Under the initiative, 80 countries endorsing the One Sun Declaration resolved to combine their efforts to create more inter-connected grids to deliver the vision of One Sun One World One Grid.

•US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said that the US is excited to be back in climate conversation and citing the One Sun Declaration, she said that all the energy used by humans in a year is equal to the energy that reaches the earth from the sun in a single hour.

Background

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) was launched in 2015 by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former French President Francois Hollande during the 21st session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP-21) in Paris, France. 

The then UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had attended the conference along with the heads of state of about 120 nations who had affirmed their participation in the International Solar Alliance.

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an alliance of 124 countries, most of whom lie either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.

The main objective of the alliance is to work towards efficient consumption of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The initiative was proposed by PM Modi in a speech in November 2015 in the United Kingdom. 

Sangeeta Nair is a news professional with 6+ years of experience in news, education, lifestyle, research and videos. She has a bachelors in History and Master in Mass Communication. At jagranjosh.com, she writes on Current Affairs. She can be reached at sangeeta.nair@jagrannewmedia.com.
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