COP31 in Antalya targets 35% global electricity share by 2035

The COP31 climate conference opening Monday in Antalya, Turkey, will focus on electrification as a strategy to bypass the deadlock over fossil fuels, aiming to raise electricity's share of global consumption to 35% by 2035. This comes as the 1.5-degree warming limit is expected to be exceeded. The conference is the first to proceed with certainty that the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C threshold will be surpassed, following extreme summer temperatures. Global geopolitical tensions and funding shortages have weakened climate commitments, but high oil prices and fossil fuel supply uncertainties may align state security and economic concerns with environmental progress. The unprecedented electrification target represents a pragmatic shift away from contentious fossil fuel phase-out negotiations. Organizers hope that focusing on expanding clean electricity use can bridge divides between nations, leveraging shared interests in energy security to advance climate action despite the grim global context.