Birol backs electrification push at COP31

ANTALYA

International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol speaking at a COP31 panel in Antalya.

International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol welcomed Türkiye’s focus on electrification in its new energy roadmap on Nov. 10, as COP31 organizers sought support for a global target to expand electricity use.

Speaking at an energy ministers’ meeting in Antalya, Birol pointed to Türkiye and Australia’s goal of raising electricity’s share of global final energy consumption to 35 percent by 2035.

Electricity accounted for about 23 percent of global final energy consumption in 2025, according to the IEA.

Electrification involves replacing fossil fuels with electricity in transport, buildings and industry, including through electric vehicles and heat pumps.

The agency says electric vehicles are two to four times more energy-efficient than combustion-engine cars, reducing the energy needed for road transport.

The voluntary “35-by-35” pledge calls on countries to develop their own policies and support investment in cleaner power, grids and storage.

It also seeks better access to finance for developing countries.

In a report prepared at Türkiye and Australia’s request, the IEA said electrification could reduce dependence on fuel imports.

However, the shift requires substantial upfront investment and some projects may need policy support to lower costs or improve access to finance.

At the opening of the IEA’s pavilion on Nov. 9, Birol said he hoped many countries would sign up to the electrification target as a concrete outcome of the summit.