Focus: GS II- International Relations
Why in News?
The Fifth Assembly of the International Solar Alliance was inaugurated by Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy, India in his capacity as the President, International Solar Alliance.
About International Solar Alliance (ISA)
- The International Solar Alliance is an alliance of 121 countries initiated by India, most of them being sunshine countries, which lie either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
- The primary objective of the alliance is to work for efficient consumption of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
- The initiative was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the India Africa Summit, and a meeting of member countries ahead of the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris in November 2015.
- The Headquarters of ISA is in Gurugram, Haryana, India.
- The Purpose of ISA is Bring together a group of nations to endorse clean energy, sustainable environment, public transport and climate
- The membership of ISA is applicable to all UN Members.
- The alliance is a treaty-based inter-governmental organization.
- Countries that do not fall within the Tropics can join the alliance and enjoy all benefits as other members, with the exception of voting rights.
- After the United Nations, it is the largest grouping of states world-wide.
- The framework agreement of the International Solar Alliance opened for signatures in Marrakech, Morocco in November 2016, and 200 countries have joined.
