Indo-French Environment Year launched
India can motivate many many countries in the field of sustainable development, said French Minister for Ecological Transition Barbara Pompili who launched the Indo-French Year of the Environment in New Delhi on 28 Jan 2021.
She reiterated the significance of the Indo-French partnership towards climate change and environment protection, saying that through this partnership, France and India look forward to setting an example for the rest of the world.
Welcoming Pompili on her maiden visit to India and the joint launch of the event, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar emphasised on the significance of India-France alliance in working towards climate change.
“We are the two main pillars of the International Solar Alliance. This revolutionary step has changed into a successful experiment. This partnership towards global environment protection will set an example for the rest of the world to work more effectively and efficiently towards sustainable development,” he said.
Javadekar informed that India has made significant progress towards climate change action & has already achieved 26% of reduction of emission intensity.
As of 2020, the renewable capacity in India stands at 90 GW which includes 36 GW of solar energy and 38 GW of wind energy, he said.
He further added that India looks forward to strengthen the Indo-French cooperation in sustainable development, increase the effectiveness of actions in favor of the global environment protection and give them greater visibility.
The Indo-French Year of the Environment, 2021-2022, would be based on five main themes: environmental protection, climate change, biodiversity conservation, sustainable urban development, and the development of renewable energies and energy efficiency. It is also a platform for engaging in discussions on critical areas of collaboration relating to environment and allied areas.
From the French side, it will be held under the aegis of the Ministry of Ecological Transition, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs with the support of the Embassy of France in Delhi and its partners.
From the Indian side, it will be coordinated by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) along with the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and other concerned Ministries, Departments and Organisations.
A joint screening committee will also be set up to finalise the calendar of the events for the Indo-French Year of the Environment, said the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Prior to the launch, a bilateral meeting was also held between the French delegation and their Indian counterpart at the Environment Ministry wherein both the sides deliberated on issues relating to climate change, bio-diversity, blue economy, international solar alliance, cooperation in the field of single-use plastic among others, said the Ministry. #environment #climate #plastics #manufacturing #projects #solar #renewables #wind #energy #OPEC /fiinews.com
