India and the United Kingdom will jointly launch the Green Grids Initiative-One Sun One World One Grid (GGI-OSOWOG) - a trans-national grid to transport solar power to different countries – during world leaders’ summit at the beginning of the 26th session of the UN climate change conference (COP26) in Glasgow, UK in the first week of November. The initiative, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi three years ago, will be endorsed in the form of a political declaration by the fourth general assembly of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) during October 18-21.
Sources said Modi would attend the world leaders’ summit on November 1-2 at COP26 and launch it with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in presence of other heads of state/government. An official confirmation to this effect would be conveyed to the UK soon, they added.
US President Joe Biden, Australian PM Scott Morrison and other leaders will also attend the summit during the first half of the COP26 which would see countries finalise rules of carbon market mechanism (Article 6) under the Paris Agreement. The Article 6 rules are the last piece of the Agreement which are yet to be finalised.
Implementation of the OSOWOG will revolve around the concept that the ‘Sun Never Sets’ and is, therefore, a constant at some geographical location, globally, at any given point of time. The ISA, which was jointly launched by India and France on the side-lines of the COP21 in Paris in 2015, will be the implementing body of the global grid.
The assembly will deliberate on the strategic plan of the ISA for the next five years. It will cover different issues including strategy for private sector engagement.
