Context: In the recent joint working group meeting of the Sustainable Growth Pillar, an India Energy Modeling Forum was launched.
About the Sustainable Growth Pillar

• The Sustainable Growth Pillar is an important pillar of the India–US Strategic Energy Partnership co-chaired by NITI Aayog and USAID.
• The SG pillar entails energy data management, energy modelling and collaboration on low carbon technologies as three key activities.

About the Energy Modeling Forum (EMF)

• The Energy Modelling Forum (EMF) in the USA was established in 1976 at the Stanford University to connect leading modelling experts and decision-makers from government, industry, universities, and other research organizations.
• The forum provides an unbiased platform to discuss the contemporary issues revolving around energy and environment.
• In India, there was no formalized and systematic process of having a modeling forum.
• Even then, various think-tanks/research organizations like TERI, IRADe, CSTEP, CEEW, NCAER, etc., have been consistently developing scenarios and contributing through modelling studies and analyses to provide the required inputs to the Environment Ministry and other relevant ministries, including NITI Aayog.

The India Energy Modelling Forum will accelerate this effort and aim to:

• Provide a platform to examine important energy and environmental-related issues;
• Inform decision-making process to the Indian Government;
• Improve cooperation between modelling teams, government, and knowledge partners, funders;
• Facilitate exchange of ideas, ensure production of high-quality studies;
• Identify knowledge gaps at different levels and across different areas;
• Build capacity of Indian institutions.

Note: The NITI Aayog will initially coordinate the activities of the forum and finalize its governing structure. The forum would include knowledge partners, data agencies and concerned government ministries.