New Delhi, May 16: India and the European Union (EU) have launched two major research and innovation initiatives that focus on marine plastic litter and waste-to-green-hydrogen solutions.

The initiatives were launched under the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC), established in 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen to strengthen the bilateral partnership on trade and technology.

With a joint investment of Rs 391 crore, the initiatives focus on two coordinated calls in the areas of Marine Plastic Litter (MPL) and Waste to Green Hydrogen (W2GH), co-funded by Horizon Europe — the EU’s research and innovation framework programme — and the Indian government.

"Collaborative research is the cornerstone of innovation. These initiatives will harness the strengths of both Indian and European researchers to develop solutions that address our shared environmental challenges", said Professor Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the government.

Highlighting the increasing momentum of the EU-India collaboration, Herve Delphin, EU Ambassador to India, remarked, “These research calls under the EU-India Trade and Technology Council demonstrate the dynamism of the EU India partnership, renewed by our leaders in Delhi last February”.

“By tackling concrete issues like marine pollution and sustainable energy together, we’re driving innovation, circular economy and energy efficiency. Development of cutting-edge technologies in these areas makes both economic and environmental sense. We are committed to a cleaner, more sustainable future that will benefit both the EU and India,” Delphin mentioned.

Despite global efforts, marine pollution continues to threaten biodiversity, disrupt ecosystems, and impact human health.

Dr M. Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, said "Marine pollution is a global concern that requires collective action. This joint call will enable us to develop advanced tools and strategies to protect our marine ecosystems."

The second coordinated call addresses the urgent need for sustainable energy solutions through the development of waste-to-green hydrogen technologies.

Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, said that "Advancing waste-to-hydrogen technologies is crucial for our energy transition goals. This collaboration will accelerate the development of sustainable hydrogen production methods."

(IANS)

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