India, EU can join forces to benefit people, climate, planet

India’s doubling of energy use in the last two decades shows that the economy is doing well, but also points to the urgent need for transforming to clean and sustainable ways of using energy, for which initiatives like the International Solar Alliance (ISA) are key, said European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen.

India and the EU can join forces to do a lot of work together for the benefit of the people, climate and the planet, the EC chief pointed out. 

“...climate change is showing us every day what happens if we do not work against it, and if we do not come up with innovative, affordable and effective solutions. And both India and Europe know that solar energy will play a decisive role in that,” said Von der Leyen in her address at the International Solar Alliance on Sunday.

The EC President, who is on a two-day India visit, also stressed on the need to reduce dependence on Russian oil and gas, and said that it was another reason to switch to home-grown clean energies, including solar, wind, hydro power and biomass.

“And, of course, I am thinking about the war that Russia has unleashed against Ukraine. For us Europeans, it is a stark reminder that our dependency on Russian fossil fuels is not sustainable. Because how can you do business with someone, who openly threatens Europe and wages war against one of your closest neighbours?” she said.

Von der Leyen will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bilateral talks on Monday, where more discussions on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the economic sanctions imposed by the West on Moscow are likely to be taken up.

The two leaders are also likely to discuss speeding up the on-going India-EU free trade agreement (FTA) talks, and discuss initiatives in the areas of connectivity, energy and digital transition, climate change, security and defence.

Speaking at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Von der Leyen highlighted the features of the European Green Deal, which is based on the belief that people have one chance, and that is, cut emissions; go into clean, green, renewable energies; limit waste; and look into the circular economy. ”And, we are deeply convinced that this is our new growth model. So, we are aware that there are demands out there, there are people who want to benefit, that energy consumption will increase, for example. But we can do it in a way that is good for our environment, good for our climate and is of benefit for us,” she said.

India and the EU had common ambitions of combating the risks of climate change with innovation, smart ideas and innovation, said Von der Leyen. “I think that there is a lot of untapped potential between the European Union and India, we have a lot in common. And joining forces, we can do so much together for the benefit of our people but also for the benefit of our climate and our planet,” she added.