India Germany Joint Statement on Climate Change

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, emphasize that tackling the issue of climate change is of vital importance for the sake of today’s world and future generations. They underscore the determination of both their countries in tackling climate change and transitioning towards sustainable development.

They emphasize that both countries share the long-term target of holding the increase in global average temperature below 2 degree Celsius above preindustrial levels.

India and Germany recognize that renewable energy and the efficient use of energy are most effective approaches to mitigating greenhouse gas emissions in both countries.

Germany welcomed India’s intention to transform its energy sector by increasing the share of renewable energy, in particular solar energy, in electricity generation consistent with its goal of 175 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2022. Germany welcomed India’s submission of its intended nationally determined contribution to the Paris Agreement.

PM appreciated Germany’s ambitious mitigation efforts, including its goal to have at least 80% of electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2050 compared to 27% today.

India and Germany will continue to intensify their cooperation in developing climate-friendly and sustainable solutions for India’s expanding energy needs. The implementation of the Green Energy Corridors Partnership with an overall German commitment of 1.15 billion Euros in the last two years is progressing well. Both countries welcomed the MOU on an Indo-German Solar Energy Partnership based on concessional loans in the range of 1 billion Euros over the next 5 years.

Both countries expressed their satisfaction with the successful work of the Indo-German Energy Forum (EGEF) as the central dialogue forum for the Indo-German Energy agenda.

India and Germany underline the importance of climate finance and emphasize the commitment by developed countries to jointly mobilize USD 100 billion from public and private sources per year by 2020 to developing countries. Climate finance will also play a key role beyond 2020 and will be an important part of the 2015 agreement.

Prime Minister Modi and Federal Chancellor Merkel launched an Indo-German Working Group on Climate Change under the Indo-German Environment Forum in order to regularly discuss climate policy and exchange views with regard to India’s and Germany’s transition to low-carbon economies and associated co-benefits for sustainable development.

PM Modi and Chancellor Merkel have decided to forge an Indo-German Climate and Renewable Alliance, a comprehensive partnership to harness technology, innovation and finance in order to make affordable, clean and renewable energy accessible to all and to foster climate change mitigation efforts in both countries.

Both countries will intensify their ongoing cooperation on climate and renewables technology under the new Indo-German Climate and Renewables Alliance, including inter alia on:

  • Next generation solar technology
  • Renewable energy storage
  • Climate-friendly space cooling technologies
  • Super-efficient appliances and buildings
  • Zero emission passenger and freight vehicles
  • Energy-efficient rail and water infrastructure
  • Off shore wind

Both countries affirm that several already established bilateral dialogue structures, such as:

  • the Indo-German Energy Forum (IGEF),
  • the Indo-German High-Technology Partnership Group,
  • the Indo-German Working Group on Quality Infrastructure for Cooperation in Standardization, Conformity Assessment and Product Safety and
  • the Indo-German Consultative Group,

are already doing important work for the transition to low-carbon economies. The results of their work will benefit and should be taken into account by the new Alliance.