The Presidency of the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) on June 9, 2026 announced a new global target to raise the share of final energy demand met by electricity from just over 20 per cent today to 35 per cent by 2035. This move places electrification at the heart of efforts to reduce emissions, improve energy security and accelerate the clean energy transition.
The target was unveiled at the Bonn Climate Change Conference, 2026 by Murat Kurum, COP31 President Designate and Türkiye's Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, as part of a broader Action Agenda aimed at turning climate pledges into real-world outcomes. The Bonn conference is taking place from June 8 to 18, 2026, and serves as a key negotiating session ahead of COP31, which will be hosted in Antalya, Türkiye, in November 2026.
The announcement came at a time when countries are under pressure to demonstrate how they will implement commitments made under the Paris Agreement and the outcomes of recent climate summits. While renewable energy deployment has expanded rapidly in many regions, large parts of the global economy continue to depend on direct fossil fuel use for transport, industrial production and heating.
The COP31 Presidency argued that increasing the role of electricity in these sectors is one of the fastest ways to reduce emissions while improving energy affordability and resilience.
The new initiative, the Presidency added, builds on a series of energy commitments adopted in recent years.
At COP28, countries agreed to work towards tripling renewable energy capacity and transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems. At COP29, governments supported efforts to expand energy storage, modernise electricity grids and mobilise at least $300 billion annually by 2035 to support climate action in developing countries.
According to the COP31 Presidency, electricity currently accounts for just over 20 per cent of global final energy consumption. Raising that share to 35 per cent over the next decade would require faster deployment of electric vehicles, electric heating and cooling technologies, industrial electrification and cleaner power systems.
The target is based on analysis from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), both of which have identified electrification as a critical pathway for achieving climate goals while reducing exposure to fossil fuel price volatility.
The Presidency said electrification must be accompanied by broader efforts to expand renewable energy generation, modernise electricity grids, increase energy storage capacity and improve access to energy in developing countries.
Kurum acknowledged that countries would start from different positions and pursue different pathways. “We will work closely with all countries, especially developing economies, to help facilitate access to technical assistance, capacity building and financial support in line with this goal,” he said.
To support delivery of the electrification goal, the COP31 Presidency and Australia have commissioned the IEA to prepare special reports on pathways to achieving the target and on the benefits of reducing waste growth.
Chris Bowen, Australia's Minister for Climate Change and Energy and President of Negotiations for COP31, said electrification could help countries reduce vulnerability to energy price shocks while accelerating emissions reductions.
"Accelerating the energy transition will ease shocks to our energy systems, better protect our economies and households from high costs, and help keep bending the curve of emissions downwards. That's why electrifying the global economy is one of our practical priorities for COP31 because it's the fastest way to strengthen energy security, cut emissions and bring down costs," Bowen said.
Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), said electrification had already emerged as a major driver of economic transformation.
"Electrification has already sparked a global surge in clean energy, driving growth and jobs. Rewiring the global economy is crucial to kick the world's addiction to coal, oil and gas, to bring energy costs down, and to restore energy security," Stiell said.
He also linked electrification, waste reduction and urban efficiency to broader efforts to address climate impacts that are disrupting economies, supply chains and living costs worldwide.
Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the IEA, said rising demand from digitalisation and new technologies was accelerating a global shift towards electricity.
He said the IEA's forthcoming reports would identify practical pathways for increasing electricity's share of global energy consumption to 35 per cent by 2035 while improving energy security.
Francesco La Camera, Director General of IRENA, said the agency's energy transition roadmap also points to 35 per cent global electrification by 2035.
"As energy demand continues to rise rapidly across transport, industry, buildings and digitalisation, the energy transition must now focus on electrifying these end-use sectors. Electrification is one of the most immediate, scalable and cost-effective solutions available today," he said.
Bruce Douglas, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Renewables Alliance, said a stronger focus on electrification could help align policy, finance and industry around implementation while providing greater certainty for investors.
Alongside the electrification goal, the COP31 Presidency announced a target to halve the growth in global waste by 2035.
The Presidency highlighted food waste as a major climate challenge, noting that it contributes around 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, largely through methane emissions. Methane is estimated to be around 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over 20 years.
Another target aims to reduce energy consumption intensity in the building sector by at least 25 per cent by 2035 under the Presidency's Resilient Cities initiative.
The Presidency said improving building efficiency could lower energy costs for households and businesses, while reducing emissions from one of the world's largest energy-consuming sectors.
Additional initiatives are being developed around food security, circular materials in manufacturing and climate education.
The Presidency also outlined plans for a Climate Implementation Bridge, intended to better connect national climate objectives with economic and development priorities while improving access to finance for implementation.