Turkiye pushes electrification top of climate agenda as COP31 set to open

What the report says

UN climate talks are set to open in Antalya, Turkiye, with electrification positioned as one of the host country’s main priorities. According to Al Jazeera, Turkiye plans to promote the non-binding “35 by 35 Global Electrification Pledge,” which seeks to lift electricity’s share of global energy demand to at least 35 percent by 2035. The country says the initiative is meant to accelerate the move toward cleaner energy while also improving energy security.

Turkiye’s COP31 presidency, led by environment minister Murat Kurum, argues that expanding electrification can help countries reduce dependence on imported fuels and limit exposure to volatile markets. Al Jazeera reported that the conference agenda also includes topics such as zero waste, methane reduction, climate-resilient cities, green industrialisation, education and the implementation of national climate plans.

The proposal has drawn criticism from climate advocates, who say electrification alone is not enough if the added electricity is not sourced from low-carbon power. That has fueled a wider debate over what should count as meaningful climate action. Some countries, especially vulnerable island states, are pressing for a clearer global shift away from fossil fuels, while major oil and gas producers continue to argue that fossil fuels can remain part of the energy mix if emissions are captured or reduced.

The conference is taking place amid broader energy-market disruption linked by Al Jazeera to the US-led war on Iran, which has affected oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz and pushed governments to look for alternatives.