Global Biofuel Alliance: A Remarkable Step Towards Sustainable Future
Date: September 9, 2023
Location: New Delhi, India
In a historic development, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, along with leaders from Singapore, Bangladesh, Italy, the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Mauritius, and the United Arab Emirates, unveiled the Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA) on September 9, 2023. This landmark initiative was launched on the sidelines of the G20 Summit held in New Delhi, India.
The Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA), an initiative spearheaded by India in its capacity as the G20 Chair, aims to expedite the global adoption of sustainable biofuels. The GBA is set to play a pivotal role in achieving this goal through the following key objectives:
Facilitating Technological Advancements: The GBA will foster advancements in biofuel technology, promoting innovation in sustainable biofuel production.
Intensifying Utilization of Sustainable Biofuels: The alliance will work towards increasing the use of sustainable biofuels across various sectors, with a focus on reducing carbon emissions.
Setting Robust Standards and Certification: GBA aims to establish rigorous standards and certification processes for biofuels to ensure their sustainability and environmental impact.
Knowledge Hub: It will serve as a central repository of knowledge and an expert hub, facilitating information exchange and cooperation among member countries and organizations.
Catalytic Platform: GBA will act as a catalyst for global collaboration, bringing together countries, partner organizations, and industry stakeholders to advance and promote biofuels on a global scale.
Key details about GBA include its headquarters in India, governance by a board of directors representing member countries, partner organizations, and industry, and funding through contributions from member countries, partner organizations, and industry stakeholders.
The launch of GBA received significant support from leaders across the world, including U.S. President Joe Biden, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The alliance's initiating members include Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Italy, Mauritius, South Africa, the UAE, and the U.S., with Canada and Singapore participating as observer countries.
Prime Minister Modi emphasized the importance of global cooperation in the field of fuel blending, proposing to raise the global standard of ethanol blending in petrol to 20%. He also proposed initiatives such as the G-20 Satellite Mission for Environment and Climate Observation and the Green Credit Initiative to address climate change challenges.
The GBA aligns with the broader global effort to combat climate change and reduce carbon emissions. It will focus on ensuring a stable and sustainable supply of biofuels while keeping them affordable.
This alliance is poised to address the challenges associated with the environmental impact, cost, and technology development of biofuels. It marks a significant step forward in the transition to a low-carbon economy and holds the promise of cleaner and more sustainable transportation solutions for the world.
The Global Biofuel Alliance is expected to be formally launched in 2024, and its success will depend on the collaborative efforts of member countries, organizations, and industry partners as they work together to accelerate the global transition to sustainable biofuels.
Source:
- https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/g-20-summit-pm-modi-announces-launch-of-global-biofuel-alliance/article67288424.ece
- https://www.mea.gov.in/press-releases.htm?dtl/37092/Launch_of_the_Global_Biofuel_Alliance_GBA
- https://g.co/bard/share/0f8ac73e95a8
