Solarization of Aviation sector

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Recently, The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Solar Alliance (ISA)

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About:
- The conclusion of MoU between ISA and ICAO was Jointly hosted by India and France.
- The MoU aims to check the growth of CO2 emissions in the sector.
The International Solar Alliance (ISA):
- This MoU carries forward the legacy of the bold initiative [The International Solar Alliance (ISA)] laid down by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former President of France Francois Hollande in 2015 at COP 21 in Paris.
  - India, with the support of France, has invited nations to facilitate infrastructure for implementation of solar projects.
  - The alliance has committed one trillion dollars as investment, and it is committed to making the costs of solar power more affordable for remote and inaccessible communities.
Significance of MoU:
- The event marks a new dawn for solar energy use in the global civil aviation sector.
  - It will enable the solarization of the aviation sector across all Member States.
- It will work towards providing information, providing advocacy, capacity building and demonstration projects.

About International Solar Alliance (ISA)

The ISA was conceived as a joint effort by India and France to mobilise efforts against climate change through the deployment of solar energy solutions.
It was presented by the leaders of the two countries at the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Paris in 2015.
Headquarters: India
The Assembly is the apex decision-making body of the ISA.
- It meets annually at the Ministerial level at the seat of the ISA.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)

It is a United Nations body.
It develops policies and standards, among other activities, for the member states and stakeholders.

Significance of Solarization:

Using unlimited energy potential:
- In one hour, the earth’s atmosphere receives enough sunlight to power the electricity needed by every human being on earth for a year.
- This unlimited energy is completely clean and sustainable.

Decarbonization:
- It will also help decarbonise energy production, which is today the largest source of global greenhouse gas emissions.
  - Carbon dioxide emission is one of the major factors responsible for global warming, and the combustion of fossil fuels for our energy needs is the major source of those dangerous emissions.
  - In short, there is an urgent need for a greener and cleaner energy source.

New avenues:
- It will not only reduce carbon footprint and cost of energy but open up new avenues for cooperation between different regions and different countries.

Challenges

Cost-effectiveness:
- There are hidden environmental costs of setting up solar energy infrastructure.
- Solar energy technologies such as batteries and panels use energy-intensive raw materials and several chemicals and heavy metals that need to be handled and disposed of correctly.
Failure of the developed countries:
- The continued failure of the developed countries to fulfill their long-standing commitments on finance and technology is expected to make even the current transitions a lot more difficult.

About Paris Agreement:

It is a legally binding international treaty on climate change.
It replaced the Kyoto Protocol, an earlier agreement to deal with climate change.
It is a landmark agreement as it brings all nations into a common cause to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects, for the first time.
It was adopted by 196 Parties at COP 21 in Paris, in December 2015 and entered into force in November 2016.
Conference of Parties(COP):
- It is the supreme decision-making body of the UNFCCC.
Aim:
- The agreement seeks to limit global warming to well below 2°C, preferably to 1.5°C, compared to pre-industry levels.
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs):
- To achieve the targets under the agreement, the member countries have to submit the targets themselves, which they believe would lead to substantial progress towards reaching the Paris temperature goal.
  - Initially, these targets are called Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs).
  - They are converted to NDCs when the country ratifies the agreement.

Glasgow Climate Meet (Cop26)

Glasgow meet strengthened the Paris Agreement mechanism of eliciting Pledges from countries and ratcheting them up over time.
It requested countries to update and strengthen 2030 emission targets in their NDCs by the end of 2022.
It explicitly revolved around keeping 1.5 degrees alive through such pledges.
- However, it came under criticism that it focused on target setting, without giving sufficient importance to the challenge of implementing those targets.
At COP 26, PM Narendra Modi announced India’s Panchamrit strategy with targets for climate action that included initiatives like International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
Panchamrit strategy:
- India will increase its non-fossil fuel energy capacity to 500 gigawatt (GW) by 2030.
- It will meet 50 percent of its energy requirements from renewable sources by 2030.
- The total projected carbon emissions will be reduced by 1 billion tonnes from now through 2030.
- The carbon intensity of its economy will be brought down to less than 45 percent.
- India will achieve its target of net zero by 2070.
Green Grids Initiative — One Sun, One World, One Grid (GGI-OSOWOG):

The “Green Grids Initiative” was announced at the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow, Scotland.
- More than 80 countries backed it.
The announcement was accompanied by the “One Sun Declaration”, which stated that, “realising the vision of ‘One Sun One World One Grid’ through interconnected green grids can be transformational.

Source: TH

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