COP31 President calls for faster global shift toward electrification to tackle climate change

COP31 President-designate Murat Kurum called for a rapid acceleration in global electrification, saying faster adoption of electricity across economies is essential to tackling climate change and delivering on commitments made at previous climate summits.

Kurum, who also serves as Türkiye’s Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change Minister, said recent energy challenges had reinforced the need for renewable power generation and greater diversification of national energy sources. According to him, these developments underline the growing importance of expanding electricity use worldwide.

“Governments, international agencies and the private sector are increasingly focusing on electrification as a critical frontier of the transition,” Kurum said while addressing the Copenhagen Climate Ministers’ Meeting.

He noted that electricity currently accounts for roughly 20 percent of global final energy consumption and urged countries to move faster in increasing that share.

“Today, around 20 percent of final energy consumption is met by electricity. Together, we should aim to raise that number as quickly as possible,” he said.

Final energy consumption refers to the energy ultimately used by households and businesses for activities such as heating and cooling buildings, operating appliances and devices, and powering vehicles, industrial machinery and factories.