Experts deliberated on best practices and policy models of G20 nations for sustainable energy transition at the G20 Research Innovation and Initiative Gathering (RIIG) Conference on Eco-Innovations for Energy Transition organised at Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh.
“We are at a pivotal moment in our existence where we must prioritize transitioning away from fossil fuel consumption. The potential for harnessing renewable energies is great enough to meet our requirements, but capturing, converting and storing them on a large scale requires a monumental effort which can be accomplished by working together,” said Dr. S Chandrasekhar, Secretary DST, and Chair G20-RIIG in his opening remarks at the conference.
The conference, which concluded on 19th April 2023, brought together a total of 29 foreign delegates and 30 Indian experts and invitees from various scientific departments/ organisations of Govt of India.
Amb D P Srivastava, Distinguished Fellow, Vivekanand International Foundation, spoke on India’s Energy Transition in a carbon-constrained world.
The G20 countries and International Organisations which participated in the conference are Indonesia, Turkiye, the United States of America, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UAE, United Kingdom, Netherlands, France, Netherlands, Republic of Korea, Russia, United Kingdom, Spain, European Union and International Solar Alliance (ISA).
Topics like smart energy transformation, storage, and management; mission-driven research in sustainable energy transitions; policy frameworks for research and innovation in carbon-neutral energy sources and green hydrogen were deliberated on, and cooperation among G20 members on specific thematic areas was discussed during the meeting.
The Research Innovation Initiative Gathering (RIIG) is a new initiative of G20 Forum, which was initiated during the Indonesian Presidency in 2022.
The next RIIG meeting will be held in Diu on the topic scientific challenges and opportunities for a sustainable blue economy. The RIIG Meetings will conclude with the RIIG Summit and Research Ministers meeting in Mumbai on 5th July 2023, and a joint declaration will be adopted by G20 members.
