Context:

• The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is organising the First Assembly of International Solar Alliance (ISA); the 2^ndIndian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Renewable Energy Ministerial Meeting and the 2^nd Global Renewable Energy Investment Meeting and Expo, (REINVEST- 2018) from 2^nd to 5^th October 2018 in New Delhi.

About ISA:

• The International Solar Alliance (ISA), an Indian initiative, was launched jointly by Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India and H.E. François Hollande, Hon’ble President of France on 30 November 2015 in Paris, France on the side-lines of the 21st Conference of Parties (CoP 21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
• The Alliance, recognising that solar energy provides potential member solar resource rich countries lying fully or partially between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, with an unprecedented opportunity to bring prosperity, energy security and sustainable development to their peoples, opened ISA Framework Agreement for signature on 15 November 2016 in Marrakech, Morocco, on the side-lines of COP-22.
• In conformity with the ISA Framework Agreement, 30 days after ratification by the 15th country, on 6 December 2017, ISA became the first full-fledged treaty based international intergovernmental organization headquartered in India.
• The Delhi Solar Agenda, adopted in the Founding Conference of the ISA, states that the ISA member States inter-alia have agreed to pursue an increased share of solar energy in the final energy consumption in respective national energy mix, as a means of tackling global challenges of climate change and as a cost-effective solution by supporting and implementing policy initiatives and participation of all relevant stakeholders, as applicable, in respective States.
• Till date, out of 121 prospective member countries that lie either fully or partially between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, 68 countries have signed the Framework Agreement of the ISA. Out of 68 countries that have signed Framework Agreement of the ISA, 44 countries have deposited the instrument of ratification.

Through this initiative, the countries, inter alia, share the collective ambition:

(i) to address obstacles that stand in the way of rapid and massive scale-up of solar energy;

(ii) to undertake innovative and concerted efforts for reducing the cost of finance and cost of technology for immediate deployment of competitive solar generation, mobilise more than 1000 Billion US Dollars of investments by 2030.

The first Assembly:

• The first Assembly, in a way, will lay the foundation for global Solar Agenda. The Assembly, as supreme decision making body of the ISA, will steer the process to significantly harness solar energy for achieving universal energy access at affordable rates.
• The Assembly will adjudicate upon various administrative, financial and programme related issues. Hon’ble Ministers from ISA Treaty Framework signatory countries have been invited for the Assembly.
• The countries that have ratified the ISA Treaty Framework will attend the Assembly, as Members. Countries that have signed but are yet to ratify the ISA Treaty Framework will attend the Assembly as Observers.

Indian Ocean Rim Association:

• The Indian Ocean Rim Association was set up with the objective of strengthening regional cooperation and sustainable development within the Indian Ocean Region with 21 Member States and 7 Dialogue Partners.
• The last Renewable Energy Ministerial Meeting was held on 21^st January, 2014 in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Subsequently, during the meeting of IORA Council of Ministers, held in October, 2016 in Bali, Indonesia, it was decided that the next conference will be held in India.
• In line with the commitment made, India will be hosting 2^nd IORA Renewable Energy Ministerial meet from 2^nd to 4^th October, 2018. In this meeting, Ministers and delegates from all 21 member-countries are expected to participate.
• India, Australia, Iran IR, Indonesia Thailand, Malaysia, South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Bangladesh, Singapore, Mauritius, Madagascar, UAE, Yemen, Seychelles, Somalia, Comoros and Oman are members of IORA.

2^nd RE-INVEST:

• The 2^nd RE-INVEST aims at accelerating the worldwide effort to scale up renewable energy and connect the global investment community with Indian energy stakeholders. 2^nd RE-INVEST will include a three-day Conference on renewables, cleantech and future energy choices, and an Expo of renewables-related manufacturers, developers, investors and innovators.
• The 2^nd RE-INVEST will provide a great opportunity to various organisations to showcase their business strategies, achievements and expectations. It would facilitate collaboration and cooperation with key stakeholders in India, which has today emerged as one of the world’s largest renewable energy markets.
• The 2^nd RE-INVEST is expected to be attended by Ministerial Delegations from across the world, including ISA and IORA Member Countries, over 600 global industry leaders, and 10,000 delegates.

Source:PIb