The Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing of the Collaborative Agreement with French National Research Agency (ANR), France.
The MoU will be signed for supporting the Belmont Forum Secretariat from January, 2015 to December, 2017 at a total estimated expenditure of 40,000 Euros.
The Cabinet also approved continued financial support to Belmont Forum Secretariat beyond 2017.
About Belmont Forum
Belmont Forum is a high level group of the world’s major and emerging funders of global environmental change research and international science councils. It was established in 2009.
It aims to accelerate delivery of the environmental research needed to remove critical barriers to sustainability by aligning and mobilizing international resources.
It provides an opportunity to identify study and deliver international environmental research priorities through transÂnational research collaboration between natural and social scientists.
Members: India, Australia, Brazil, Canada, European Commission, France, Germany, Japan, Netherland, South Africa, UK and US etc.
India is represented by the Union Ministry of Earth Science (MoES) since 2012.
Belmont Secretariat: It is hosted by one of the Belmont forum member on rotational basis.
ANR, France is hosting the Secretariat from January, 2015 to December, 2017.
Expenditure for hosting the Secretariat is borne by Belmont Forum member countries in kind or cash contribution.
Comment
The signing of the MoU will help to maintain a certain degree of continuity in the operations of the Belmont Forum and also help in smooth coordination of the activities of it.
Indian scientific community will ultimately benefit from this agreement as India already is participating in four Collaborative Research Actions (CRAs) of the Forum.
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