COP31 President-Designate Murat Kurum called for an urgent increase in the pace of electrification of the world economy, saying it was critical to the fight against climate change and to implementing the commitments made at previous COPs.
Kurum, Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change in COP31 host Türkiye, said the current energy crisis had underscored the importance of renewable power generation and the national diversification of energy sources. This all pointed to the importance of increasing electricity as a power source across the globe.
“Governments, international agencies, and the private sector are increasingly focusing on electrification as a critical frontier of the transition,” Kurum told the Copenhagen Climate Ministers’ Meeting.
“Today, around 20 percent of final energy consumption is met by electricity. Together, we should aim to raise that number as quickly as possible.”
Final energy consumption refers to the energy consumed by end-users such as individuals and businesses to heat and cool buildings, run lights, devices, and appliances, and power vehicles, machines and factories.
