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dpa
New Delhi
The International Solar Alliance (ISA) began its first summit in New Delhi on Sunday with co-hosts France and India stressing the need for concrete action in the areas of financing and technology.
"We want to usher in a solar revolution,"Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the formal launch of the~inter-governmental organization that aims to help sunshine-rich countries around the world harness solar energy at an affordable cost.~
Launched on November 30, 2015, on the sidelines of the Paris Climate Change conference, the alliance had set itself a goal of enabling production of~1 trillion watts of solar power by 2030.
France's~international development agency was committing an additional $700 million to solar energy by 2022, taking its total investment in financing solar projects in ISA member countries to $1 billion, French President Emmanuel Macron said in his inaugural speech.
But the efforts of governments were not enough to achieve the 2030 goal and private sector industry, international institutions~and civil society would have to join in, Macron added.
So far 61 countries have signed up and another 32 have ratified the treaty, according to the ISA secretariat headquartered in New Delhi. Heads of states of 24 countries including Australia and Sri Lanka are attending the founding summit.
Macron also used the occasion to take a pot shot at US President Donald Trump without naming him."Some countries decided to leave the floor and the Paris Agreement,"Macron said.
But others like the"solar mamas"- women who trained to be solar technicians - decided to act, Macron said, because"they decided it was good for them, their children and grandchildren."
Modi flagged the need for investment in better and more accessible solar technology, concessional finance for solar projects, easing of regulatory mechanisms and~persuading developed countries to provide consultancy services among other"action points."
Both leaders also mentioned a need to invest in skills development.
Several speakers at the conference including leaders from African nations highlighted specific areas where work was needed including development of energy storage technology and distribution networks for solar power.
"Financing together, sharing expertise, innovative technology - along with total transparency at the top,"was what the ISA was all about, Macron said. The ISA, Macron said, was setting up a database of projects - about 100 so far had been identified by 32 countries - and would be continuously assisting and monitoring these.
"ISA should be a place where technology meets expectations. We are obsessed by concrete results ... Let's get to work,"Macron said.
The summit concluded with the adoption of a document titled"Delhi Solar Agenda"where the signatories pledged to pursue a range of commitments including increasing the share of solar energy in their energy mix.
