ICAO Joins International Solar Alliance

Topic- International Organizations and Alliances [GS Paper-2]

Context- During the 42th Session of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Assembly in Montreal a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between International Solar Alliance (ISA) and ICAO. 

Key Highlights 

• The Memorandum of Understanding carries forward the legacy of the International Solar Alliance.
• It indicates a new beginning for solar energy use in the global civil aviation sector.
• The joint efforts will enable the solarization of the aviation sector across all Member States of ISA. 
• The MoU aims to check the growth of CO2 emissions in the Aviation sector, leading to India’s Net Zero Targets.
• It will ensure providing information, providing advocacy, capacity building and demonstration projects.
• ICAO is targeting reducing carbon emissions in the aviation sector through its numerous initiatives and goals. 
• In this initiative, Partnership between ISA and ICAO through this MoU could not have come at a better time, as it will trigger a range of interventions towards developing the capacity of States to use solar energy. 
• The partnership agreement will work towards providing information, providing advocacy, capacity building and demonstration projects.

India’s Net Zero Target

• India is committed to achieve Net Zero Carbon goal by 2070 in COP 26.
• India has set a target of installing 175 GW of renewable energy of which 100 GW will be solar energy by 2022 and reduction in emission intensity by 33-35% by 2030, to let solar energy reach the most unconnected villages and communities.
• India and France together has invited other nations to facilitate infrastructure for implementation of solar projects.
• Cochin International Airport in India became the world’s first fully Solar powered airport in the world in 2015.

International Solar Alliance 

• The International Solar Alliance (ISA) was established in 2015 with its headquarter at Gurugram, Haryana.
• It is an alliance of 109 signatory countries and 90 have ratified it, among which most of the countries lie either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. 
• All member states of the United Nations are eligible to join the alliance.
• The primary goal of the alliance is to work for efficient consumption of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
• The alliance is the nodal agency for implementing One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG), which seeks to transfer solar power generated in one region to feed the electricity demands of others.
• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has given Observer Status to the International Solar Alliance (ISA) which will help provide for regular and well-defined cooperation between the Alliance and the United Nations that would benefit global energy growth and development.

International Civil Aviation Organisation 

• The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1944.
• It came into force with the Convention on International Civil Aviation which was signed on 7th December 1944 in Chicago commonly known as the ‘Chicago Convention’.
• It coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth.
• The headquarters of ICAO are located in the Quartier International of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
• It has 193 member countries among which India is also a part of the organisation.

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