On the eve of the G20 Summit in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially announced the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) in the presence of the heads of several partner nations. The GBA has been under development for a while and is a crucial project and focus of the G20 summit. The alliance aims to promote worldwide collaboration, increase the use of sustainable biofuels, promote international trade in biofuels, and provide technical assistance for national biofuel initiatives. Nine initial members – India, the US, Brazil, Argentina, Bangladesh, Italy, Mauritius, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates – along with Canada and Singapore, which are observer nations – have joined the GBA, an initiative that was pushed by India, the United States, and Brazil. Currently, the GBA has the support of 19 nations and 12 international organisations.
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G20 Summit India: The GBA Members
It's interesting that the alliance has already attracted the membership of over 19 nations and 12 international organisations, including seven G20 nations – Argentina, Brazil, Canada, India, Italy, South Africa, and the United States – and four invitees – Bangladesh, Singapore, Mauritius, and the United Arab Emirates. Iceland, Kenya, Guyana, Paraguay, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Finland, and Uganda are the eight non-G20 nations that have agreed to be the initiating members of the GBA. The World Bank, Asian Development Bank, World Economic Forum, World LPG Organization, UN-Energy for All, UNIDO, Biofutures Platform, International Civil Aviation Organization, International Energy Agency, International Energy Forum, International Renewable Energy Agency, and World Biogas Association are among the twelve global bodies that have joined the alliance.
In February this year, the government declared that Brazil, India, and the United States, as major biofuel producers and consumers, will collaborate with other willing nations and bodies to develop the GBA. The alliance will collaborate with existing regional and international bodies to make efforts in the sectors of bioenergy, bio-economy, and energy transformation. For those unaware, the United States and Brazil are regarded as global biofuel leaders, accounting for 52 per cent and 30 per cent of worldwide ethanol production, respectively.
Biofuels are defined as renewable fuels made from biomass, which includes plant material as well as domestic, industrial, and animal biowaste. In comparison to traditional fossil fuels, biofuels are substantially cleaner. PM Modi in one of his tweets commented on the milestone: ‘The launch of the Global Biofuels Alliance marks a watershed moment in our quest towards sustainability and clean energy. I thank the member nations who have joined this Alliance.’
Global Biofuel Alliance: The Aim
The newly established alliance will play a pivotal role in advancing the global adoption of sustainable biofuels through several key initiatives. These include offering exercises to enhance capacity along the entire value chain, providing technical support for national programs, and fostering the exchange of policy insights. The alliance will create a virtual marketplace to help businesses, nations, ecosystem participants, and crucial stakeholders in mapping demand and supply, as well as establishing connections between technology providers and end users. Furthermore, the alliance aims to streamline the process of establishing, endorsing, and implementing internationally recognized standards, codes, sustainability principles, and regulations. These efforts collectively aim to promote the use and sale of biofuels on a global scale.
The Global Biofuel Alliance will improve India's standing internationally. Additionally, it will put an emphasis on cooperation and give Indian firms new options for exporting technology and equipment. It will aid in accelerating India's current biofuel initiatives, like the PM-JIVANYojna, SATAT, and GOBARdhan plan, which will raise farmers' incomes, generate jobs, and advance India's ecosystem as a whole.
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