On March 17, 2021, Italy joined the International Solar Alliance (ISA) (also known as International Agency for Solar Policy and Application (IASPA)) after signing the amended ISA Framework Agreement. Vincenzo de Luca, Ambassador of Italy to India signed the Italian membership to the ISA.
- The new ISA Framework Agreement came into force on January 8, 2021.
- Under the new amended framework, the membership of ISA is open to all member states of the United Nations. Previously, it was open to countries that were partially or entirely located within the Tropics.
- The signed copies of the agreement were received by an additional secretary (ER) as representative of MEA. MEA is the depositary of the ISA Framework Agreement.
Note – Italy holds the current Presidency of G20 & co-presidency of COP26.
Facts about Italy:
- For Italy, solar energy is already the second source for the production of electricity from renewable sources, preceded only by hydroelectricity.
- It is destined to triple according to the proposed integrated National Plan for energy and climate, becoming the first renewable source of electricity production in 2030.
- Furthermore, Italy is currently the sixth country in the world for installed solar capacity and second in the EU.While India ranks 5th and China tops the world in the total solar capacity installed.
International Solar Alliance
It was launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi & the then-French President Francois Hollande ahead of the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference or COP21 in Paris.
- It is an alliance of over 121 countries.
- At present 73 countries have signed and ratified the ISA Framework Agreement.90 countries have signed the ISA Framework Agreement.
Objective
- To work for efficient consumption of solar energy for reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
- It aims to contribute to the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement through the massive deployment of solar energy.
Recent Related News
i.On October 14-16, the third Assembly of the International Solar Alliance was held in a virtual mode where India and France were re-elected as the President and Co-President of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) for a term of two years at the virtual third Assembly of ISA.
About International Solar Alliance (ISA):
Director General – Ajay Mathur
Headquarters – Gurugram, Haryana, India
About Italy:
President – Sergio Mattarella
Capital – Rome
Currency – Euro (EUR)
