US Joins International Solar Alliance Announced by PM Modi at 2015 Paris Climate Summit

The United States on Wednesday said it will join the International Solar Alliance, which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 2015 Paris Climate Summit.

The US special envoy for climate, John Kerry, announced at the COP26 in Glasgow that the US has joined the solar alliance as a member country after signing the framework agreement, and also thanked PM Modi for “championing this important endeavour”.

“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 endeavour,” he tweeted.

Lauding the US’ move, PM Modi said this will “further strengthen the Alliance in our shared quest of harnessing solar energy for a sustainable planet”.

The ISA is an inter-governmental treaty-based international organisation with a global mandate to catalyse global solar growth by helping to reduce the cost of financing and technology for solar.

With this, the US becomes the 101st country to sign the framework agreement of the ISA to catalyse global energy transition through a solar-led approach, according to a PIB release.

Union Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change Bhupender Yadav welcomed the US decision, saying the move will strengthen the solar alliance and “propel future action on providing a clean source of energy to the world”.

Kerry, while signing the framework agreement, 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.”

“We worked out the details and this is a process we are pleased to be a part of. This will be an important contribution to the more rapid deployment of solar globally. It will be particularly important for developing countries,” he added.

ISA was launched by PM Modi and then French President Francois Hollande at the 21st session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP-21) in Paris. The alliance focuses on delivering global relevance and local benefit to all countries through collaborations. The ISA’s key interventions are on readiness, enabling activities, risk mitigation and innovative financing instruments to facilitate the promotion and deployment of solar technologies in target markets.

Earlier at COP26, the US had joined the Steering Committee of the ‘One Sun One World One Grid’ initiative comprising 5 members — the US, Australia, France, the UK and India — and endorsed the ‘One Sun Declaration’ along with 80 countries.

Hailing the US’ move to join the ISA, its Director-General Dr Ajay Mathur said the endorsement is “a heartening development, especially as our 101st member nation, which is a significant milestone in itself, demonstrating that nations across the world are recognising the economic and climate mitigating value of solar, as well as this energy source’s potential as a catalyst for global energy transition”.

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