The Cabinet has approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and France in the field of energy efficiency. The MoU is a science and technology agreement, which involves knowledge exchange and cooperation in the form of technical assistance.

The MoU is expected to take forward information exchange on policies, programs, and technologies relating to enhanced energy efficiency and demand side management. The MoU will lead to awareness creation on energy efficiency, development of tools for collection, use and analysis of carbon emissions and greenhouse gas (GHG) data for tracking global emissions.

It will promote research and development, demonstration of energy efficient technologies, and development of sustainable mobility with specific focus on electric transport. Recently, India also signed a MoU with France to cooperate in the field of renewable energy.

The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has also given its approval to the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between India and Japan.

The MoC will enable establishment and promotion of closer and long-term cooperation between India and Japan in the field of environment protection and management of natural resources based on equity, reciprocity and mutual benefits, taking into account the applicable laws and legal provisions in each country. Further, the MoC entails exchange of information and technology between the two countries.

Environmental degradation falls on the socially and economically disadvantaged, more heavily than the privileged sections of the society. Any effort at thwarting environmental degradation would lead to environmental equity in the sense of availability of sound environmental resources to all sections of the society.

The MoC is expected to bring in the latest technologies and best practices suited for bringing about better environment protection, better conservation, better management of climate change and bio-diversity conservation.

Recently, India also signed two MoUs with Morocco and Guyana in which the participant countries agreed to cooperate for the expansion of renewable energy.