French Foreign Min to visit India, discuss solar proj, COP21

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius will visit India tomorrow to discuss the launch of an international solar alliance proposed by India, apart from holding deliberations on the preparations ahead of the Paris climate summit.
Fabius will accompanied by Laurence Tubiana, who is the ambassador for climate change negotiations and special representative for Conference of Parties (COP21) or the Paris summit scheduled later this year.
"Minister of Foreign Affairs Laurent Fabius will be in India on November 20, 2015. This visit is being undertaken in his capacity of incoming chair of the Paris climate change conference," a French Embassy statement said.

The trip to India, the statement added, constitutes the first leg of the French Minister's tour for holding a series of consultations in South Africa, Brazil and Canada to prepare for the COP21 meet.
"Fabius, during his visit, will meet Indian authorities regarding the preparations for COP21. He will also discuss the joint launch by President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the International Solar Alliance proposed by India," the statement said.
Fabius will also address a joint press conference with Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar tomorrow.

French Embassy officials said that an "effective and equitable" international agreement at the COP21 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will be critical for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to limit global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius and for supporting adaptation to climate change impacts.

France, as the host and chair of COP21, is committed to the role of an impartial facilitator for forging an ambitious agreement, they said.
The CoP 21 is scheduled to take place in Paris from November 30 to December 11. Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with more than 80 heads of states will take part in the crucial summit.