PM Modi's US Visit: India-US agree to fight climate change through better use of information

NEW DELHI: India and the United States have agreed to work together on efforts to adapt to the impacts of climate change and improve climate resilience through better use of information and planning. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Barack Obama issued ajoint statement in Washington, DC on Tuesday, laying out the broad contours of a new partnership between India and the United States for climate resilience.
The two leaders propose to identify opportunities to jointly advance capacity for strengthening climate resilience, including development of actionable information, data and tools to help national, state, and local officials with climate adaptation planning. They agreed to specify areas of partnership to improve India’s renewable energy capabilities and production, thereby help contain the dependence on fossilfuels for energy generation and move to a low carbon growth path.

The focus on adaptation comes at a time when both countries have been dealing with extreme weather events like droughts in parts of the United States, and excessive rainfallin parts of India.

The joint statement is a recognition of India’s contention that development, energy access, and improving the living standards of its people is as much a priority as addressing climate change. The Export-Import Bank of the United States and the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) have agreed to enter into a memorandum of understanding (MoU), to make available financing of up to $1 billion to support export of Made-in-America renewable energy goods and services for clean energy projects in India.

The understanding between the two institutions includes establishing a framework for cooperation under the MoU to increase mutually beneficial business opportunities in support of India’s energy initiatives, including the doubling of the upcoming phase of Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) to 3,000 MW. In a similar effort, the two governments have agreed to create a bilateral Clean Energy Finance Forum through which public and private sector officials from the two countries can explore specific opportunities to mobilise finance for clean energy.

The two countries have agreed to a new partnership on energy smart cities that will showcase the policies, technologies, and business and finance models needed to turn clean energy into a commercial opportunity that will draw in private capital and allow commercial scale-up to take off.

The two governments have also agreed to a new multi-million dollar, multi-year effort, Greening the Grid, to ensure reliable delivery of clean energy through a stronger, more flexible power system.

The focus will be on enabling large-scale deployment of clean energy and energy efficiency, thereby improving India’s capacity to absorb into its grid an increasing proportion of renewable energy.

The US is also evaluating new activities that would help India reduce imports, become more efficient, and meet new international environmental standards for fuels.