The International Solar Alliance (ISA) recently held its Sixth Assembly at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Here, the organization’s broader strategy was discussed, with emphasis on prioritizing energy access before transitioning to renewable sources.
The Major Highlights of the ISA Assembly
The Assembly underlined the ISA mantra of “access first and then transition.” A primary decision was to increase Viability Gap Funding (VGF) for solar projects from the existing 10% to a range of 10% to 35%. This move aims to encourage larger investments, particularly in African nations.
Four major projects backed by the ISA were inaugurated during the assembly, which included:
1. Solarization of the Malawi Parliament
2. Solarization of rural healthcare centers in Fiji
3. Installation of a solar-powered cold storage in Seychelles
4. Solarization of a school in Kiribati
India reiterated its commitment to make solar energy its primary energy source. It proposed that renewable energy could provide up to 65% of the global electricity by 2030 and help decarbonize 90% of the power sector by 2050. Significantly, around 80% of the global population resides in countries that rely heavily on fossil fuel imports.
About the International Solar Alliance
Conceived as a joint initiative between India and France, the ISA emerged as an action-oriented, member-driven, collaborative platform for boosting the use of solar energy technologies. Its objective is to enhance energy access, guarantee energy security, and facilitate energy transition among its member nations. The ISA was conceived during the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) in 2015. As of 2020, all UN member states are eligible to join ISA following the amendment of its framework Agreement.
As it stands, the ISA has 116 signatories, among which 94 have completed the necessary ratification to become full members. The Assembly, being the organization’s supreme decision-making body, each Member Country is represented. This body makes decisions concerning the implementation of the ISA’s Framework Agreement and coordinated actions needed to achieve its purpose.
The ‘Towards 1000’ Strategy
The ISA is guided by its ‘Towards 1000’ strategy, which aims to mobilize USD 1,000 billion of investments in solar energy solutions by 2030. The goal is to deliver energy access to 1,000 million people using clean energy solutions and installing 1,000 GW of solar energy capacity. This strategy would help reduce global solar emissions by 1,000 million tonnes of CO2 per year.
UPSC Civil Services Examination: Previous Year Question (2016)
A question in the UPSC Civil Services Exam asked aspirants to verify two statements
1. The International Solar Alliance was launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2015.
2. The Alliance includes all the member countries of the United Nations.
The correct answer, as provided: only the first statement is correct. While the ISA was indeed launched in 2015, not all UN countries are part of the Alliance.
