PRADEEP RANA | NEW DELHI India and Finland have signed a memorandum of understanding for developing cooperation in the field of environmental protection and biodiversity conservation as laid out in Paris Agreement on fighting climate change. The pact will send a positive signal to the world towards real co-operation in the field of climate change, Prakash Javadekar, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, said after the signing ceremony. 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, and low-carbon solutions. The partnership will also promote sustainable management of natural resources which includes forests, and focus on conservation of marine and coastal resources. The virtual signing ceremony was attended by Javadekar from the Indian side and Krista Mikkonen, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Government of Finland from the Finnish side. Speaking at the event, Javadekar said that the partnership also provides the possibility to have joint projects in areas of mutual interest. "This MoU will definitely commits us to work together more closely towards on the fulfilment of commitments made under Paris Agreement." said the Environment Minister. The minister also informed that India has achieved its voluntary target of reducing emissions intensity of its GDP by 21% over 2005 levels, by 2020 and is poised to achieve 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. The MoU will strengthen technological, scientific and management capabilities and develop bilateral cooperation in the field of environmental protection and biodiversity conservation on the basis of equality, reciprocity and mutual benefit with due respect to promotion of sustainable development.