Turkey’s COP31 agenda centers on voluntary electrification pledge

Turkey is promoting a voluntary pledge to raise electricity’s share of global energy demand to 35% by 2035, making electrification a central theme of the COP31 climate summit scheduled to open November 9 in Antalya. The initiative, known as 35-by-35, would increase electricity’s share from roughly 20% today, according to the Turkish presidency; another summit briefing puts the current level at 23%. The sources do not specify a common baseline year or precision for those estimates.

COP31 will run from November 9 to 20. Turkey holds the presidency, while Australia leads negotiations under an arrangement that resolved a dispute over hosting. Turkey is also promoting an action agenda of nonbinding pledges alongside the formal talks. President Murat Kurum has described electrification as a way to cut emissions and protect communities from volatile energy markets.

Turkey and Australia want the electrification initiative referenced in the summit’s consensus cover decision, the overarching political statement reflecting negotiated outcomes. The European Union has called for the wording to specify “clean” electrification. Whether the final decision includes the initiative, and what...