International Solar Alliance (ISA): An Overview
The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an action-oriented, treaty-based intergovernmental organization. It was jointly initiated by India and France to significantly boost the deployment of solar energy and combat climate change.
Foundation and Launch 🌍
- Initial Proposal: The idea was first presented by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Wembley Stadium in November 2015.
- Official Launch: The alliance was formally launched on 30 November 2015 in Paris, coinciding with the COP21 UN Climate Change Conference.
- Framework Agreement: The agreement was opened for signatures in Marrakesh, Morocco, in November 2016.
Headquarters 🏢
- Location: The ISA is headquartered in Gurugram (Gwal Pahari), Haryana, India.
- Significance: It is the first international organization to be headquartered in India. The foundation stone was laid jointly by PM Modi and then-French President François Hollande in January 2016.
Membership and Status 🤝
- Eligibility: Following a 2020 amendment, all member states of the United Nations are eligible to join the ISA. Originally, membership was limited to countries between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
- Voting Rights: Countries located outside the tropics can join and receive all benefits, but voting rights are reserved exclusively for tropical countries.
- Current Members: As of 2024-2025, over 120 countries are signatories, with more than 90-100 countries having ratified the agreement to become full members.
- UN Recognition: The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has granted Observer Status to the ISA, facilitating greater cooperation.
Key Initiatives 💡
- One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG):
- This ambitious initiative aims to create inter-regional energy grids to share solar power across the globe, based on the vision “The Sun Never Sets”.
- It has merged with the UK’s Green Grids Initiative to form the GGI-OSOWOG, connecting 140 countries to a continuous solar power network.
- Solar for Green Hydrogen Programme:
- Launched in October 2021, this program aims to reduce the cost of producing green hydrogen from the current $5 per kg down to $2 per kg, making it a competitive alternative to fossil fuels.
- Global Solar Facility (GSF):
- The GSF is a payment guarantee mechanism designed to stimulate solar investments in underserved markets, particularly in Africa.
- It aims to attract private capital for off-grid, rooftop, and productive-use solar projects by mitigating financial risks. The initial fundraising target is $100 million.
Mission and Goals for 2030 🎯
The ISA has set the following key objectives to be achieved by 2030:
- Investment: Unlock $1 trillion in solar investments.
- Capacity: Facilitate the installation of 1000 GW of solar energy capacity.
- Emissions Reduction: Mitigate 1000 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.