India introduces draft resolution in UNGA for granting observer status to International Solar Alliance

United Nations, Oct 16: India has introduced a draft resolution in the UN General Assembly for granting of observer status for the International Solar Alliance.

India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, T.S Tirumurti, in a tweet, termed it another milestone for the International Solar Alliance,

The ISA is a brainchild of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and was officially launched in 2015 at the 21st session of United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP-21) in Paris by Prime Minister Modi and then French PM Francois Hollande.

“Another milestone for International Solar Alliance

“India introduces draft resolution in UNGA for granting Observer Status to @isolaralliance (ISA) “I said that ISA, through its efforts towards just & equitable energy solutions, will usher in new era of “Green Energy Diplomacy”,” he tweeted.

India introduced the draft resolution under the agenda item 176 for granting observer status for the International Solar Alliance on behalf of India and France and also the co-sponsors.

Addressing the UNGA, Tirumurti said India and France jointly launched the ISA in 2015 at the first COP 21 held in Paris.

“ISA is dedicated to the contribution of the successful outcome of the UN Process on Sustainable Development and the attainment of internationally agreed development goals.

“The ISA was opened for signature as an international treaty based organisation in November 2016.

“After the framework of the alliance was signed and ratified by the required number of countries the agreement entered into force on the December 6, 2017. The alliance of solar-resource rich countries was opened to 121 member states that lie fully or partially within the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. This was further amended at the first assembly of the ISA to extend the scope of the ISA membership to all UN member states,” he said.

“ISA has played an important role internationally in supporting the implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Global Climate Agenda in general. The framework agreement of the ISA explicitly designates the UN, including its organs, as strategic partners of the ISA.

“Observer status will greatly enhance the alliance’s ability to achieve its goals. ISA will be able to follow closely the deliberations in the General Assembly, cooperate with the UN organs, agencies and programmes,” he said.

“The ISA through its efforts to bring about just and equitable energy solutions through the deployment of solar energy is expected to usher in a new era of green energy diplomacy.

Granting of observer status to ISA in the UNGA would help provide for a regular and well defined cooperation between the alliance and the UN that would benefit global energy growth and development," he said in his statement.

The draft resolution for observer status comes ahead of next month's COP 26 in Glasgow, and the Fourth Assembly of the ISA on October 20.