A draft resolution introduced by India for granting the Observer Status to the International Solar Alliance has been adopted by the world leaders at 6th United Nations General Assembly committee. The draft resolution was adopted today without a vote. Further, the 75th session of the UN General Assembly that shall begin October 31, will now have to formally adopt the recommendations of this Committee.
“Ahead of COP-26 scheduled in Glasgow next week, today’s action on the draft resolution to grant the Observer Status for the International Solar Alliance is not only symbolic, but a substantive one”, said Ambassador R. Ravindra, India’s Deputy Permanent Representative.
After China and the United States, India is the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases and is still largely dependent on fossil fuels. Moreover, the demand for fossil fuels is expected to rise sharply over the next decade. The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has advised nations to limit global warming to 1.5oC, which would require nations to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
Ahead of the UN global climate talks earlier this week, India rejected calls to announce a net zero carbon emissions target. Despite mounting international pressure, R.P. Gupta, India’s environment secretary said that “it is how much carbon you are going to put in the atmosphere before reaching net zero that is more important”. He further announced that net zero carbon emissions was not the solution to the existing climate crises.