Discussions at Marrakesh conference of partnerships: TERI

A green body today said the discussions at the recently concluded climate change conference at Marrakesh were of "partnerships" as 22 countries joined the India-led International Solar Alliance (ISA), a brainchild of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The conference also looked to define climate actions that can be "fast-forwarded" in four years before the requirements of the Paris Agreement become operative in 2020, the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) today said, while terming the summit as that of action and implementation.
It said the Paris Agreement was a testament to the collaboration and perseverance of nations who debated and negotiated to ultimately reach a consensus.

"The Marrakech COP, on the other hand, was notable for the actions that took place outside of the negotiations, with politicians, countries and organisations using it as an opportunity to announce new initiatives, strategy and finance.
"Action from negotiation tables now has moved to factories and policy-making rooms of governments which is a big shift from Paris. There was very clear focus on need to define climate action, finance, mitigation and adaptation. The parties also adopted work plans for carrying the discussions forward," Ajay Mathur, Director General, TERI said.
Building on the momentum created in the last one year, countries at the Marrakesh climate change summit on November 18 agreed to conclude the framing of rules for the implementation of Paris agreement by 2018.

Noting that the conference was also one of partnerships, TERI said 22 countries joined the India-led International Solar Alliance (as against the requirement of 15 for the Alliance to come into force) that calls for cooperation to boost solar energy infrastructure and receive clean energy financing.

More than 20 nations have already signed the Framework Agreement of ISA and the agreement will be kept open as many more countries are expected to join the ISA in the coming weeks.
The Framework Agreement of ISA was opened for signature on November 15 on the sidelines of the CoP22 and will make ISA an innovative, action-oriented and sui generis international and intergovernmental treaty-based organisation that will be registered under Article 102 of the UN charter.

It was jointly launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande on November 30,2015 at Paris on the sidelines of COP21.