International Solar Alliance

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International Solar Alliance

Abbreviation ISA

Formation 30 November 2015

Founded at Paris, France

Purpose Bring together a group of nations to endorse clean energy, sustainable

environment, public transport and climate

Headquarters Gurugram, Haryana, India

Region served
All members of UN

Fields Renewable energy

Membership
87 members of UN

Official language
Hindi, French, English

Director General
Ajay Mathur

Website International Solar Alliance

World map with the Torrid Zone, the area between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, highlighted in red.

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an alliance of 121 signatory nice countries,  most being sunshine [1]

countries, which lie either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. The
primary objective of the alliance is to work for efficient consumption of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil
fuels. This initiative was first proposed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a speech in November 2015
at Wembley Stadium (London HA9 0WS, United Kingdom), in which he referred to sunshine countries
as Suryaputra ("Sons of the Sun").  The alliance is a treaty-based inter-governmental organization. Countries that do
[2]

not fall within the Tropics can join the alliance and enjoy all benefits as other members, with the exception of voting
rights. [3]

The initiative was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the India Africa Summit, and a meeting of member
countries ahead of the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris in November 2015.  The [4][5]

framework agreement of the International Solar Alliance opened for signatures in Marrakesh, Morocco, in November
2016, and 102 countries have joined. [1]

Contents

 1Headquarters
 2Objective
 3Geographical importance
 4Members
o 4.1Parties who have signed/ratified the framework of ISA
o 4.2List of Member Countries
 5Initiatives and partnerships
 6Future targets
 7Progress
 8See also
 9References
 10External links

Headquarters[edit]
The ISA is headquartered in Haryana, India.  In January 2016, Narendra Modi, and the then French
[6]

President François Hollande jointly laid the foundation stone of the ISA Headquarters and inaugurated the interim
Secretariat at the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) in Gwal Pahari, Gurugram, India. The Indian government
has dedicated five acres of land on the NISE campus for its future headquarters; it also has contributed ₹1.75
billion (US$22 million) to the fund to build a campus and for meeting expenditures for the first five years. [7]

The alliance is also called International Agency for Solar Policy and Application (IASPA). [8]

Objective[edit]
The focus is on solar power utilization. The launching of such an alliance in Paris also sends a strong signal to the
global communities about the sincerity of the developing nations towards their concern about climate change and to
switch to a low-carbon growth path. India has pledged 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 to
the most unconnected villages and communities and also towards creating a clean planet.  India's pledge to the Paris [9]
summit offered to bring 40% of its electricity generation capacity (not actual production) from non-fossil sources
(renewable, large hydro, and nuclear) by 2030.  It is based on world cooperation.
[10]

Geographical importance[edit]
The area of Earth located in between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn is called the tropical (torrid) zone.
This is the part of the world in which the sun can appear directly overhead, and that more-direct exposure means that
the sun's actual effect is greater here; anywhere north or south of this zone, sunlight always reaches the earth's
surface at an angle and is correspondingly less intense.  The sunniest countries of the world are on the African
[11]

continent, ranging from Somalia- Horn of Africa-, east to Niger, west and north to Egypt. [12]

For India, possible additional benefits from the alliance can be a strengthening of ties with the major African countries
and increasing goodwill for India among them. [13][14]

Members[edit]
The alliance is a treaty-based inter-governmental organization.  The framework agreement of the International Solar
[6]

Alliance opened for signatures in Marrakech, Morocco, in November 2016, on the sidelines of the Marrakech Climate
Change Conference (the twenty-second session of the Conference of the Parties, or COP 22). On its first day (15
November), sixteen countries signed the Agreement: India, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Dominican
Republic, the Republic of Guinea, Mali; Nauru; Niger; Tanzania; Tuvalu; Cambodia; Ethiopia; Burkina
Faso; Bangladesh and Madagascar.  By 17 November, Guinea Bissau, Fiji, France also signed the agreement.  On
[6] [15]

6 November 2017 India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held a meeting with Guinea's Foreign Minister,
Mamady Toure. During the course of this meeting, Mamady Toure handed over Guinea's Instrument of Accession to
the India-initiated International Solar Alliance (ISA). Vanuatu and Liberia also signed the agreement. [3]

Subsequently, an additional 107 countries joined the agreement, including many major countries that lie between the
tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, including Mexico, Peru, Chile, Paraguay, Brazil, India, Argentina, and Australia. A
conclave started from 30 November 2015 for the sunshine grouping, called the InSPA (International Agency for Solar
Policy & Application). [16]

Parties who have signed/ratified the framework of ISA[edit]

The following countries are the prospective members of this alliance who have signed the framework. Countries
marked with a plus have also ratified the framework.
 Afghanistan, Bahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bhutan, Botswana, Brunei
[17]

Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Congo, Denmark, El
Salvador, Finland, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Liberia, Luxembourg, Maldives, Marshall
Islands, Morocco, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Oman, Paraguay, Philippines, Romania, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, Thailand, and Trinidad and Tobago is the newest member of this alliance.
Greece and Israel formally joined ISA on 26 June 2021 and 18 October 2021 respectively. [18][19]

List of Member Countries[edit]

Legend
+ means signed framework/ratified.

  Afghanistan + (Position unclear after Taliban takeover)

  Algeria +
  Australia +
  Bahrain
  Bangladesh +
  Barbados +
  Belarus
  Belgium
  Belize +
  Benin +
  Bhutan
  Bolivia +
  Botswana +
  Brazil +
  Brunei
  Bulgaria
  Burkina Faso +
  Burundi +
  Cape Verde +
  Cambodia +
  Cameroon +
  Chad +
  Chile +
  Comoros +
  Republic of the Congo
  Costa Rica +
  Cuba +
  Democratic Republic of the Congo +
  Denmark +
  Djibouti +
  Dominica +
  Dominican Republic +
  Egypt +
  El Salvador +
  Equatorial Guinea +
  Ethiopia +
  Fiji +
  Finland
  France +
  Gabon +
  Gambia +
  Ghana +
  Grenada +
  Guatemala
  Guinea +
  Guinea-Bissau +
  Guyana +
  Haiti +
  India +
  Ireland
  Israel +
  Ivory Coast +
  Italy +
  Jamaica +
  Japan +
  Kiribati +
  Liberia +
  Luxembourg +
  Madagascar +
  Malawi +
  Maldives +
  Marshall Islands +
  Mali +
  Mauritius +
  Morocco +
  Mozambique +
  Myanmar +
  Namibia +
  Nauru +
  Netherlands +
  Nicaragua +
  Niger +

    Nepal +
  Oman +
  Palau +
  Panama +
  Papua New Guinea +
  Paraguay
  Peru +
  Philippines
  Romania
  Rwanda +
  Saint Lucia +
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines +
  Samoa +
  São Tomé and Príncipe +
  Saudi Arabia +
  Senegal +
  Seychelles +
  Somalia +
  South Sudan +
  Sri Lanka +
  Sudan +
  Suriname +
  Syria +
  Tanzania +
  Thailand
  Tonga +
  Togo +
  Trinidad and Tobago +
  Tuvalu +
  Uganda +
   United Arab Emirates +
  United Kingdom +
  United States +
  Vanuatu +
  Venezuela +
  Yemen +
  Zambia +
Apart from these, there are 58 other members, making a total of 124 members to the alliance. Recently, Israel, United
States, Greece join International Solar Alliance, membership rises to 102, Recently joined by Antigua & Barbados on
7 Jan 2022. Syria joined in February 2022 to become the 103rd member. Later Angola joined to raise the total to 104
signatories. Nepal has also joined the ISA making total membership to 105.

Initiatives and partnerships[edit]

See also: Green Grids Initiative — One Sun, One World, One Grid

Global Solar Atlas[20]

The alliance has partnered with World Bank to launch Global Solar Atlas at an ISA event at the World Future Energy
Summit in Abu Dhabi. Global Solar Atlas is a free online tool that displays annual average solar power potential at
any location in the world and thus identify potential sites for solar power generation. World Bank announced "This tool
will help governments save millions of dollars on their own research and provide investors and solar developers with
an easily accessible and uniform platform to compare resource potential between sites in one region or across
multiple countries." [21]

Riccardo Puliti, Senior Director and Head of the World Bank's Energy & Extractives Global Practice said "The World
Bank is seeing a surge of interest from our clients in solar power as a result of the dramatic cost decreases over the
past few years. We hope that the Global Solar Atlas will help inform the crucial planning and investment decisions
that will need to be taken over the next decade to shift to more sustainable forms of energy."

Future targets[edit]
India, with the support of France, has invited nations to facilitate infrastructure for implementation of solar projects.
The alliance has committed one trillion dollars as investment, and it is committed to making the costs of solar power
more affordable for remote and inaccessible communities. The alliance will endorse India in achieving its goal of
generating 100 GW of solar energy and 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022. The countries shall support each
other in research and development as well as other high level activities. [22]

It is also seen as an alliance by the developing countries to form a united front and to undertake research and
development for making solar power equipment within developing countries. [23]

Progress[edit]
On 30 June 2016, the alliance entered into an understanding with the World Bank for accelerating mobilization of
finance for solar energy. The Bank will have a major role in mobilizing more than US$1 trillion in investments that will
be needed by 2030, to meet ISA's goals for the massive deployment of affordable solar energy. [24]

To date 74 countries have signed and 52 countries have ratified the Framework Agreement of the ISA. With
ratifications by 15 countries, the ISA will become a treaty based inter-governmental international organisation and it
will be recognized by UN legally to become fully functionable.
At the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) held in Abu Dhabi in January 2018, the government of India announced
the establishment of a $350 million solar development fund to enable financing of solar projects.

See also[edit]

 Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership, Bahadurgarh

 International Renewable Energy Alliance
 Solar power in India

References[edit]
1. ^ Jump up to:a b "International Solar Alliance". isolaralliance.org. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
2. ^ "Narendra Modi's Speech at Wembley Stadium: As It Happened". Wall Street Journal.
Retrieved 18 November 2015.
3. ^ Jump up to:a b "19 countries sign up for solar alliance". Business Standard India. 17 November
2016. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
4. ^ PM Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande to launch game changing solar
alliance, The Economic Times, 30 November 2015
5. ^ France, India to launch global solar alliance, Reuters, 29 November 2015
6. ^ Jump up to:a b c "International Solar Alliance opened for signing in Morocco". The Economic
Times. 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
7. ^ "International Solar Alliance will be the First International and Inter-Governmental
Organisation of 121 Countries to have Headquarters in India with United Nations as Strategic
Partner" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, National Informatics Centre, Government of
India.
8. ^ "Reports: India to announce global solar power alliance". www.businessgreen.com.
Retrieved 18 November 2015.
9. ^ "107 'sunshine countries' could weld together ahead of Paris meet to give shape to PM's
vision – The Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
10. ^ Neslen, Arthur. "India unveils global solar alliance of 120 countries at Paris climate
summit". the Guardian. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
11. ^ "What is the significance of the Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn, Arctic Circle and
Antarctic Circle? (Beginner) – Curious About Astronomy? Ask an
Astronomer". curious.astro.cornell.edu. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
12. ^ "Which countries receive the most sunlight?". earth.rice.edu. Archived from the original on 26
June 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
13. ^ "Modi to launch solar alliance on first day of Paris climate summit". livemint.com/. Retrieved 1
December 2015.
14. ^ "International Solar Alliance sign of India's leadership on global stage, say experts –
Firstpost". Firstpost. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
15. ^ "Allied Countries". isolaralliance.org. Archived from the original on 23 October 2017.
Retrieved 19 May 2017.
16. ^ "107 countries to join PM and his sunshine band in November – The Times of India". The
Times of India. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
17. ^ "ISA Prospective Member Countries". Archived from the original on 2 July 2018. Retrieved 6
May 2018.
18. ^ Fisher, Noa (18 October 2021). "Israel joint International Solar Alliance (ISA)". Ynetnews.
Retrieved 24 October 2021.
19. ^ "Israel to join India based International Solar Alliance". WION. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
20. ^ Solargis. "Global Solar Atlas". globalsolaratlas.info. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
21. ^ "New World Bank Tool Helps Map Solar Potential". World Bank. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
22. ^ "107 'sunshine countries' may shape PM's vision". Live India. Archived from the original on 8
December 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
23. ^ "Paris climate meet: India-led global solar alliance to counter developed nations". The Hindu
Business Line. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
24. ^ "International Solar Alliance Cell and World Bank Signs Declaration for Promoting Solar
Energy". Press Information Bureau, Govt. of India. 30 June 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2016.

External links[edit]

 International Solar Alliance official website

 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference
 Global Solar Atlas

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