Explanation:

Explanation

Context-The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is hosting the second Assembly of International Solar Alliance (ISA) on 30 and 31 October 2019 New Delhi.

• The Assembly is the supreme decision making body of the ISA, and gives directions on various administrative, financial and programme related issues.

About International Solar Alliance (ISA)

• The ISA, is an Indian initiative that was launched by the Prime Minister of India and the President of France on 30 November 2015 at Paris, France on the side-lines of the COP-21, with 121 solar resource rich countries lying fully or partially between the tropic of Cancer and tropic of Capricorn as prospective members.

• The agreement of the International Solar Alliance was open for signature during the COP22 at Marrakech on November 15, 2016. 

• As on date 81 countries of the 121 prospective member countries have signed the Framework Agreement of the ISA. Of these, 58 countries have ratified the same. 

• During the first Assembly of the ISA, an Indian resolution to extend the Membership of the organisation to all countries that are Members of the United Nations was adopted.

• It is a treaty-based intergovernmental body

Objective

• The overarching objective of the ISA is to collectively address key common challenges to the scaling up of solar energy in ISA member countries.

• It also aims to undertake joint efforts required to reduce the cost of finance and the cost of technology, mobilize investments needed for massive deployment of solar energy, and pave the way for future technologies adapted to the needs.

• The ISA’s major objectives include global deployment of over 1,000GW of solar generation capacity and mobilisation of investment of over US$ 1000 billion into solar energy by 2030.

Other efforts

• ISA has been positioned to help create the conditions that would make funding, developing and deploying solar applications on a large scale a reality.
• ISA is now perceived as key to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and objectives of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
• ISA has initiated many activities and programmes like M. Tech programme for mid-career professionals at IIT, Delhi; STAR-C programme, and development of the INFOPEDIA.
• The Government of India has allotted 5 acres of land to the ISA in National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) campus, Gurugram
• India has set aside US$ 2 Billion for solar projects in Africa out of Government of India's US$10 Billion concessional Line of Credit (LOC) for Africa. Exim Bank of India is implementing this line of credit in close coordination with ISA countries in Africa.