UPSC Prelims 2016 Question:

Consider the following statements:

1. The International Solar Alliance was launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2015. 
2. The Alliance includes all the member countries of the United Nations.
   
   

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Explanation:

• The International Solar Alliance (ISA) was conceived as a joint effort by India and France to mobilize efforts against climate change through the deployment of solar energy solutions. It was conceptualized on the sidelines of the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Paris in 2015. So, statement 1 is correct.
  
  
• The main objective of ISA is to undertake joint efforts required to reduce the cost of finance and the cost of technology, mobilize more than US $ 1000 billion of investments needed by 2030 for massive deployment of solar energy, and pave the way for future technologies adapted to the needs of 121 countries lying fully or partially between the Tropics. Initially, only those countries which lay either fully or partially between the tropics were allowed to become a member of the ISA. So, statement 2 is not correct.
  
  
• But with the amendment of its Framework Agreement in 2020, all member states of the United Nations are now eligible to join the ISA. At present, 110 countries are signatories to the ISA Framework Agreement.
  
  

Therefore, option (1) is the correct answer.

Subject: Environment | Environmental Organizations and Conventions