Tackling global climate issues, together

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Tuesday said that Pakistan and India should hold talks to address their outstanding issues.

India has launched a global alliance with France to boost solar power generation across countries, especially in developing ones that have ample solar energy resources but insufficient capital.

“The entire world, 196 nations, have come together to shape the future of this world and the health of our planet”, said Modi.

The new body will function from the National Institute of Solar Energy in Gurgaon, India which will provide land and $30m to form a secretariat for the alliance. During my visit to India earlier this year, we committed ourselves to a new, deeper partnership between our nations.

“India will fulfil expectations from it and its responsibilities…the country is working to take forward development and (protecting) environment together”, Modi said at a joint press event with Obama.

“The dream of universal access to clean energy is becoming more real”, Mr Modi said at the climate change summit in Paris on Monday. “Anything else would be morally wrong”, he wrote, adding: “Justice demands that, with what little carbon we can still safely burn, developing countries are allowed to grow”.

Amidst criticism and counter-criticism of those who raised questions over tolerance and some people making controversial remarks asking dissenting people to “go to Pakistan”, he said questions can not be raised over patriotism of any of the 125 crore Indians.

Today, he said it was not just a “historical responsibility”, advanced countries should also take the lead as they have “most room for impact”.

According to the federal U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), about 11% of world marketed energy consumption is from renewable energy sources (biofuels, biomass, geothermal hydropower, solar and wind) with a projection for 15% by 2040.

Kids sitting under a solar panel at Dharnai village in India.

While the majority of countries involved in the International Solar Alliance are developing nations in Africa, Asia and South America; the USA, China, Australia and several European countries are among the ISA members.

Mr. Obama said that the United States and India agreed that it was an urgent threat and noted that Mr. Modi had shown his interest in new technologies and clean energy in his work, even before he became Prime Miniser, as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. The alliance will support India in building 100 gigawatts of solar energy by 2022, he said.