British COP26 president to visit solar facility in India during his two-day visit

New Delhi: UK Cabinet minister and COP26 president Alok Sharma will on Thursday begin a two-day visit to India for meetings with ministers and climate leaders involved in the implementation of India’s COP26 commitments.

This will be Sharma’s third visit to the country as COP president, and comes against the backdrop of searing heatwaves affecting parts of both India and the UK. The visit is also aimed at strengthening and supporting delivery of the Glasgow Climate Pact in the run up to India’s G20 presidency next year.

He will visit a solar research facility and meet local communities to hear first-hand accounts of how climate change is affecting people living and working amid the record heatwaves that recently affected India.

Sharma will “continue the work of the UK COP Presidency in pressing for updated climate commitments from all countries”, and discuss “India’s ambitious climate plans and progress on smart grid upgrades, electric vehicles and affordable energy storage”, the British high commission said in a statement.

He will go to the International Solar Alliance (ISA) headquarters at the National Institute of Solar Energy campus in Delhi, and discuss how to advance the “Green Grids Initiative - One Sun One World One Grid”, a product of the India-UK partnership focused on strengthening global support for green power infrastructure.

Sharma will attend the launch of UK-India initiatives on electric mobility hosted by NITI Aayog. The partnership between the UK government and NITI Aayog has taken forward zero emissions vehicle initiatives launched under the UK’s COP26 Presidency.

He will also visit the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) to discuss future plans.

Ahead of his visit, Sharma said: “India’s green transition is gathering pace, with an increasing slate of renewables and commitments to phase down fossil fuel based energy.”

He added, “The UK continues to stand side-by-side with India as it progresses to a low carbon, self-sufficient future. At this critical juncture ahead of COP27 and the NDC Synthesis Report deadline, I am eager to explore how the UK can further support India in translating its COP26 commitments into action.”

After his visit to India, Sharma will travel to Australia and Fiji to engage with governments, businesses and civil society to support stronger climate action ahead of COP27 in Egypt.