Modi and Hollande announce new solar alliance at Paris climate change summit

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with French President Francois Hollande unveiled an global solar alliance of over 120 nations on Monday at the Paris conference on climate change.

Prime Minister Modi and his Pakistani counterpart came under one roof during a peacekeeping summit held on the sidelines of the General Assembly, but did not speak or shake hands. “Now, it has gone even further with this commitment to lead the world on solar”, Coequy said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday outlined India’s plans to reduce carbon emissions and said India has advanced targets to cut carbon emissions and switch to clean energy, but said the country reserved its right to development and progress like developed countries.

“Developed countries must fulfill their responsibility to make clean energy available, affordable and accessible to all of the developing world”, Modi said. Modi approached Sharif and had a brief chat with him, said a statement from the PM’s office.

The conference of world leaders with over 25,000 official delegates is seen as historic and aims to clinch a deal on greenhouse gas emissions.

India has rejected Pakistan’s offer to play in the UAE, while Pakistan says it will not play the series in India after several Pakistani nationals were threatened by Indian right-wing political party, Shiv Sena. The alliance will support India in building 100 gigawatts of solar energy by 2022. Innovation is vital for combating climate change and ensuring climate justice. The only problem will be whether India’s simultaneously planned expansion into coal will wipe out not only the benefits of its own solar industry, but that of other countries as well.

Addressed the 21st session of the Conference of Parties or COP21 in Paris, PM Modi said it is the developed countries that should take the lead in countering climate change.

Since then, fast-growing China and India have become the world’s No. 1 and four carbon emitters, however, and other erstwhile “developing” countries have scaled the economic ladder.

Modi said we need an ambitious technology initiative, driven by a public goal, not just market incentives.

The initiative is expected to encourage technology exchange and innovation and create new business opportunities in India and globally. “We have got off to a good start, with almost 12 gigawatt likely to be installed by 2016, more than three times the current capacity”, he said.