Context: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres criticised India for subsidising fossil fuels and promoting coal auctions.

Details:

• Clean energy and closing the energy access gap are good business. They are the ticket to growth and prosperity. Yet, in India, subsidies for fossil fuels are still some seven times more than subsidies for clean energy. Continued support for fossil fuels in so many places around the world is deeply troubling.
• Recent research on G20 recovery packages shows that twice as much recovery money has been spent on fossil fuels as clean energy.

Pat for India’s solar energy initiatives:

• Guterres commended several of India’s commitments to clean energy: for taking the initiative on the International Solar Alliance, plans for a World Solar Bank that would mobilise ₹70 trillion of investments in solar projects over the coming decade and committing to installing 500,000 MW of renewable energy by 2030.

Reference: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/un-secretary-general-antonio-guterres-slams-india-for-coal-subsidies/article32464190.ece

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