Hosting and presiding over the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) from November 9–20, Türkiye announced a new global target. Murat Kurum, President of the Conference and Minister of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, stated that electrification across all sectors of the economy will help lead the world toward a low-carbon future. Kurum announced the target of increasing the share of electricity in final energy demand—which currently stands at approximately 20 percent—to 35 percent by 2035.
Although approximately one-third of global electricity generation currently comes from renewable sources, other energy-intensive sectors—particularly transportation, heating, and industry—have lagged behind this progress. As a result, nearly four-fifths of final energy demand is still met by fossil fuels.
COP31 President Kurum stated: “By generating energy from electricity in our daily lives—from transportation to buildings and industry—we can protect families and businesses from volatile energy markets. The 35% target by 2035 will be one of the key priorities of our COP31 presidency.”
The target, which aims to contribute to the implementation of the Paris Agreement, was designed to support the vision of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees compared to pre-industrial levels, in line with analyses by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). In addition, the IEA will be asked to prepare a report outlining how the 35 percent electrification target can be achieved by 2035.
During its presentation on the COP31 Presidency’s Action Agenda, the Organization also announced other targets, including the goal of halving the global increase in waste by 2035. The COP31 Presidency also presented a new global target, under the Resilient Cities priority, to reduce energy intensity in the construction sector by at least 25 percent by 2035. In addition, Kurum shared details about new initiatives and targets currently being developed by the Presidency. These include topics such as food security, circular materials in manufacturing, and climate education.
Date : 16 June 2026
