“The ISA wants a solarised hospital in every district”

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) took shape at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 21) held in Paris in 2015. Its formation was spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Headquartered in India, ISA has 86 signatories, 67 member countries, and 48 partners. It plans to facilitate more than $1,000-billion investment in solar energy by 2030. Upendra Tripathy, Founding Director General, ISA, and former secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, spoke to P.B. Jayakumar about the alliance’s future plans. Edited excerpts.

- P.B. Jayakumar

The ISA was launched as the first international treaty-based body in India. Global solar powers such as the US and China are yet to be part of the ISA. How soon will all countries join?

The Secretariat of the ISA got legal personality on June 6, 2018, after the ISA and India signed the host country agreement, the basis for establishment of headquarters of a treaty-based intergovernmental body. So far, we have 86 signatory countries. Among them, 42 countries are from Africa, 20 from Asia-Pacific, three countries from Europe and 21 countries from Latin America. The membership will be soon open to all UN member countries even outside the Tropics. We are waiting for countries like the US, China and Germany to become members. Germany has expressed interest to join, as soon as the amendment comes into force. We need ratification by three more countries to bring the first amendment into force.