The European Union (EU) and the Republic of Korea have established a Green Partnership to strengthen the bilateral ties between these two regions with the aim of climate action, clean and fair energy transition, protection of the environment, and other fields of the green transition. The Green Partnership was launched in Seoul during the EU-Korea summit by Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen and Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. Both parties have acknowledged this partnership to maintain the global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius and reach climate neutrality by 2050. On the other hand, India has emphasized renewable energy, biodiversity, and sustainable development, clean and green energy transition by 2030. The Ambitious and common green and clean goals of India and the EU have strengthened their multilateral and bilateral ties for the India-EU Clean and Energy and Climate Partnership. The piece will first discuss the European Union and the Republic of South Korea’s green deal, and later, it will enlighten the EU-India’s clean and green pathways.
Priority Areas of The Green Deal Between EU- The Republic of South Kore
According to the European Commission (EU), the Green Deal focuses on several priority areas –
- Strengthening efforts on combatting climate Change – It has emphasized climate cooperation, adaptation, carbon pricing, methane emission, and climate finance.
- Increasing cooperation on environmental issues – It has focused on reversing biodiversity loss, forest degradation, and deforestation, promoting a circular economy, and addressing the fuel life cycles of plastics, besides implementing the ‘Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.’
- Supporting a clean and fair energy transition – It has concentrated the cooperation on renewable energies, energy efficiency, low-carbon hydrogen, transition away from coal-fired power generation, batteries and green mobility, and carbon capture and utilization and storage (CCUS).
- Working with third countries to facilitate their green transition – The major focus areas are climate change mitigation, adaptation, resilience, the clean and fair energy transition, and circular economy.
- Joining focuses in other areas – The deal has concentrated on business cooperation, sustainable finance, research & innovation, sustainable food system, sustainability resilience of supply chains, employment, and the social dimension of the green transition.
The EU and the Republic of Korea have jointly committed and escalated to promote climate action on the international stage in multilateral and plurilateral flora. These two parties have also agreed to support developing and emerging countries working against climate policies and threats.
Looking Ahead
European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen has declared this partnership will be beneficial to reach the goal of climate neutrality; also, it has strengthened the cooperation between the two regions on strategic, clean energy projects, which enhance our supply chains, business, and cooperation.
Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, has mentioned that Korea and the EU are very separate countries, sharing common interests to combat the threats of the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and pollution we all face. Within this situation, these two geographical entities have come and agreed jointly to accelerate the climate transition and neutrality.
The same year, the EU also formed a Green Alliance with Norway to strengthen their cooperation on clean energy and industrial transition. Lastly, the European Union (EU) and its policies jointly try to combat climate threats and establish environmental protection for all.
European Union (EU) -India: Cooperated and Strengthened Towards Green Partnership
According to the PIB, India’s presidency of the G20 and to work on the auspicious goals of reaching the clean energy transition by 2030, where India is trying to partner with other countries like the European Union (EU). It leads to cooperation and strengthening the ties with the EU to work together on global climate actions. Recently this month, the Executive Vice-President of the European Union Green Deal, Fran Timmermans, visited India to discuss and knot the tie in the future ahead. In the meeting, he discussed with the Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister, R.K. Singh – emphasized energy efficiency, renewable energy, solar & offshore wind, green hydrogen, energy storage, and global supply. All these targeted areas have a common ground in working EU with India.
In the discussion and cooperation under the EU-India clean energy and climate partnership, the government of India highlighted the rapidly growing infrastructure of renewable energy capacity; also, it pointed out that India is working on the storage capacity and accelerated the manufacturing capacity to reach the suitable goals by the targeted timeline 2030 and to reach the net zero goal by 2070.
The Executive Vice-President of the European Union Green Deal has appreciated India’s readiness to lead against the global climate crisis. He also mentioned, in COP26, India’s Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi has declared that India will become the climate-neutral by 2070. He also said that these two partners from different geographical entities would continue to work jointly for the EU-India clean green and climate partnership at the COP28 summit.
The Executive Vice-President of the EU said India’s ambitions in renewable energy sectors are highly appreciated. However, an active implementation is key to reach to the net zero goal. Also, he has mentioned India and the EU has common grounds by working in global trade, multilateral cooperations, international law, migration and adaptation through the international solar alliance, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and green hydrogen. In summary, it was a fruitful discussion between the Government of India and the European Union Vice-President. So let’s roll up our sleeves, and the world will see how it takes in the future.
Concluding Observations
European Union (EU) is spreading its green tries among Japan, Norway, the Republic of South Korea, Germany, India, and several major countries to work on bilateralism and multilateralism from energy efficiency, climate actions, and sustainability. It has focused on not crossing the global temperature of 1.5 degrees Celsius which is highly dangerous according to climate scientists. Also, after the war between Russsia-Ukraine, the EU and other member countries and alliances have cut down their trade and export relations with Russia. It has widely affected the major countries of the EU and other parts of the global south. However, this is a widely debatable topic, so let us keep it aside.
Before ending, the European Union (EU) is a robust and resilient partner in fighting against the climate crisis and for all of us to make a healthy, green, prosperous future for our future generations.