In a noteworthy development, India and the United Kingdom have announced the establishment of the ‘NET Zero’ Innovation Virtual Centre. This advancement came to light in the recent India-UK Science & Innovation Council meeting. The main aspiration of the centre is to address climate change and environmental targets through an enhanced collaborative effort between the two countries.
About the NET Zero Innovation Virtual Centre
The NET Zero Innovation Virtual Centre is a synergistic initiative undertaken by India and the UK. It aims to elevate their cooperation in the sphere of science and technology, with a special focus on climate change and environmental matters. The centre will function as a platform that brings together stakeholders from both countries to work on key areas such as the decarbonization of manufacturing processes and transport systems, and advancing the use of green hydrogen as a renewable source.
A significant goal of the centre is to support achieving net zero emissions – a state where the amount of greenhouse gases released equals the amount removed from the atmosphere. Additionally, it aims to facilitate knowledge exchange, research and development, innovation, capacity building, and policy dialogue between India and the UK.
Key Highlights from the Meeting
The meeting brought forth several important points. One of them being the affirmation of UK as India’s second-largest international research and innovation partner. Over time, the joint research program between the two countries has grown from nearly nothing to a whopping £300-400 million.
India’s Rising Technological and Economic Strength
India is swiftly advancing towards becoming an economic powerhouse, thanks to its outstanding technological and innovative capabilities. A testament to this is the success story of the Covid vaccine. Energy efficiency and renewable energy are core sectors where India has already established leadership through various initiatives like the India Solar Alliance and Clean Energy Mission.
Driven by a commitment to achieve ambitious net-zero targets, India is continually developing mitigation and monitoring solutions for environmental pollution. It is also formulating techno-based pathways to reduce carbon emissions.
Facilitating Industry-Academia Collaboration
The cooperative efforts between the two countries will bring forth opportunities for academia and industry in both India and the UK to collectively develop new products and processes. This collaboration will contribute towards the economic growth of both nations.
To illustrate the impact of these developments, the UPSC Civil Services Examination has included questions on major outcomes of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The examination also asked about the commitments made by India during this conference.