Focus: GS II: International Relations
Why in News?
Recently, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Solar Alliance (ISA) during the 42nd session of ICAO Assembly in Montreal, Canada.
- Cochin International Airport in India became the world’s first fully Solar powered airport in the world in 2015.
ICAO Memorandum of Understanding with ISA:
- The MoU carries forward the legacy of ISA.
- The occasion heralds a fresh start for solar energy use in the world’s civil aviation industry.
- It will make it possible for the aviation industry to go solar in all ISA Member States.
- In order to achieve India’s Net Zero Targets, it wants to slow the growth of CO2 emissions in the aviation sector.
- It will endeavour to spread awareness, support causes, create capacity, and carry out demonstration projects.
India’s Net Zero Target
- India has pledged for Net Zero Carbon goal by 2070 in COP 26.
- India has pledged a target of installing 175 GW of renewable energy of which 100 GW will be solar energy by 2022 and reduction in emission intensity by 33-35% by 2030, to let solar energy reach the most unconnected villages and communities.
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.
