New Delhi [India], July 26 (ANI): United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, who is a five-day India tour visited the Parliament on Wednesday. Kerry, who is leading a US delegation during his visit, today met with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her office inside the Parliament building.
The US special envoy described the meeting with the Union Finance Minister as “very good and constructive.” “Very good meeting, very constructive. There are many things India and the United States can work together on in order to advance the climate agenda. And there are many things that we can do where we can work together on science, technology, and our ability to be able to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy. So, good conversations…” Kerry said.
Earlier today Kerry had met Union Minister of Heavy Industries, Mahendra Nath Pandey.
He took to his Twitter to post, “I’m proud to be in India this week to advance our shared goals on climate and clean energy.” “Just met with @DrMNPandeyMP to discuss our common interest in diversifying supply chains and empowering India as a manufacturing hub for electric trucks, buses, and heavy-duty vehicles,” he said.
Ahead of his India visit, the US Department of State had in a statement said that Kerry will be in India till July 29 to talk about climate and clean energy and mutual efforts to build a platform for investments in renewable energy. It stated that Kerry is slated to meet with senior government officials to advance shared objectives on renewable and clean energy, and climate, 
Kerry will attend the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Ministers (ECSM) Meeting in Chennai to be held on July 28. “Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry will travel to New Delhi and Chennai, India, July 25—29, to advance shared objectives on climate and clean energy, including mutual efforts to build a platform for investments in renewable energy and storage solutions, support the deployment of zero-emission buses, and diversify clean energy supply chains,” the US State Department said.
The third Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) meeting was held under India’s G20 Presidency on May 21. The three-day meeting witnessed the participation of 141 delegates from G20 countries and 10 invitee countries. The representatives of 14 international and regional organisations also attended deliberations.
The three priories outlined for the ECSWG were arresting land degradation, promoting a circular economy and giving impetus to the blue economy. All meetings focused on a specific theme out of these three themes. The third ECSWG focussed on Blue Economy and was supported by two side events – Mega Beach Clean Up Event and the Ocean 20 Dialogue on Day 1 of the meeting.
The primary agenda of the 3rd ECSWG meeting was the detailed discussions on the draft Ministerial Communique which entailed constructive discussions and deliberations on priority areas. The meeting ended in a discussion mode on the Communique, to be further deliberated upon and refined in the virtual meetings scheduled over the next few weeks, as a run-up to the 4th and final ECSWG meeting to be held in Chennai from July 26- 27.
The fourth and final ECSWG meeting would be followed by the ECSM meeting on July 28, which John Kerry would attend. On July 19, Kerry had ended his four-day visit to China without any new agreements.
In fact, the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, insisted in a speech that China would pursue its goals to phase out carbon dioxide pollution at its own pace and in its own way. Still, Kerry appeared buoyed that the world’s two biggest polluters had restarted discussions, which had been frozen for a year because of strained relations over Taiwan, trade and other issues. He insisted he was not disappointed in the outcome, noting that just talking marked progress, according to the Washington Post. “We had very frank conversations but we came here to break new ground,” Kerry said, adding, “It is clear that we are going to need a little more work.” (ANI)
