The MoU will strengthen technological, scientific, and management capabilities and develop bilateral cooperation

India and Finland on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for developing cooperation between two countries in the field of Environment protection and biodiversity conservation

The MoU was signed virtually by Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar and his Finland counterpart Krista Mikkonen.

“The MoU is a platform to further advance Indian and Finnish partnership and support, exchange best practices in areas like prevention of Air and water pollution; Waste management; Promotion of circular economy, low-carbon solutions and sustainable management of natural resources including forests; Climate change; Conservation of Marine and Coastal Resources; etc,” the Environment Ministry said in a statement.

According to the statement, the MoU will strengthen technological, scientific, and management capabilities and develop bilateral cooperation in the field of environmental protection and biodiversity conservation based on equality, reciprocity, and mutual benefit with due respect to the promotion of sustainable development.

Speaking at the event Javadekar said that the MoU also provides the possibility to have joint projects in areas of mutual interest. “This MOU will commit us to work together more closely on the fulfillment of commitments made under the Paris Agreement.”, said the Environment Minister.

He also informed that India has achieved its voluntary target of reducing the emissions intensity of its Gross Domestic Product by 21% over 2005 levels, by 2020, and is poised to achieve a 35% reduction well before the target year of 2030.

As part of its Nationally Determined Contributions submitted under the Paris Agreement, India has taken three quantitative climate change goals viz. reduction in the emissions intensity of Gross Domestic Product by 33 to 35 percent by 2030 from 2005 level, achieving about 40 percent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030 and creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.

Recently, in an interview with Helsinki Times, Indian ambassador to Finland Raveesh Kumar had also noted that India and Finland are already working together in the areas of sustainability and cooperation.

“We are together with the International community on this topical matter. We are already working together with Finland in this area. Our companies are also coming together for meaningful cooperation,” he said.