To boost cooperation between India and the US with respect to clean energy and climate, a top US senator introduced legislation, emphasizing that he witnessed positive results on the first go after two nations agreed to work together to tackle challenges.

Senator Robert Menendez, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who introduced clean energy and climate cooperation arrived a day later when the US’ Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry who introduced Climate Action and Finance Mobilization Dialogue in New Delhi.

It appears that India and the US teaming up for a clean energy partnership is vital considering the existence of the level of global threat on climate change and India’s growing need for electricity. Therefore, the senator saw it fit to bring in the legislation as he feels strong when two nations work together to handle common challenges since he had already witnessed first hand positive results.

CCEP (Climate and Clean Energy Partnership) efforts include promoting cooperative clean energy research and development, encouraging US private investment in the Indian clean energy industry, and supporting programs to expand India's renewable energy producing capacity.

According to a press release, the Act would also strengthen US-India cooperation on climate resilience and risk reduction.

According to the Intended Nationally Determined Contribution of India to the Paris Agreement, India's unconditional emissions objective is to reduce emissions intensity of gross domestic product by 33 percent to 35 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.

The legislation stated that India was among the top five clean energy producers in the world, noting that Prime Minister Modi established an ambitious domestic aim of adding 450 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030 in 2019.

Between 2014 and 2020, India's installed renewable energy capacity increased by 144 percent, and the renewable energy sector received around USD 42 billion in investment between 2014 and 2019.

This law would not only build ground-breaking new programs, but it will also promote the Biden administration's US-India Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership, which intends to strengthen bilateral collaboration on strong climate action and support India's ambitious climate ambitions.

The legislation is the result of a congressional delegation's visit to India in the fall of 2019, during which Menendez met with India's Minister of New and Renewable Energy as well as Indian business leaders to discuss how the two countries can combat climate change and deepen cooperation on clean energy production.