Energy Transitions Commission Urges COP31 to Prioritize Clean Electrification
The Energy Transitions Commission urged COP31 leaders to prioritize clean electrification and heavy industry decarbonization to prevent global warming from reaching 2.6°C by 2100.
More than 30 members of the Energy Transitions Commission issued a letter to COP31 President Murat Kurum and President of Negotiations Chris Bowen calling for a prioritized focus on clean electrification and the decarbonization of heavy industry. The appeal comes days before climate negotiators gather in Türkiye for the summit.
Analysis from the commission warns that current policies place the world on a trajectory for 2.6°C of warming by 2100. To keep warming well below 2°C, the group advocates for a target of 35% electrification by 2035. They also seek global commitments to decarbonize sectors including aviation, shipping, steel, and cement, suggesting carbon pricing as a potential mechanism.
The commission argues that while clean electrification can lower warming to 2.3°C at a low cost, reaching a target of 1.8°C requires additional policy support to address deforestation and methane emissions. Co-Chair Adair Turner stated that keeping warming below 2°C remains possible, while Co-Chair Jules Kortenhorst described the momentum of clean electrification as being like a boulder rolling downhill.
