EU, UK lead push for electrification as “powerful weapon” against fossil fuels

Dozens of governments led by the EU and the UK have pledged to throw their political weight behind a rapid electrification of the world’s economy, billed as a “powerful weapon” for cutting reliance on planet-heating fossil fuels. At a high-level summit in London’s Mansion House on Tuesday, energy ministers and business leaders were joined by UN secretary-general António Guterres in calling for faster action to curb demand for oil, coal and gas by powering homes, industry and transport with clean electricity. Electrification – which spans measures such as switching from petrol cars to electric vehicles – has emerged as a key priority in climate and energy policy circles this year. COP31 co-hosts Türkiye and Australia have made a global target for electricity to meet 35% of final energy demand by 2035, up from around 20% today, the main plank of this year’s action agenda for the UN summit. Reaching that level is necessary to keep the 1.5C warming limit within reach, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Turkish COP31 President-Designate Murat Kurum said earlier this month that the host nation would work to forge “a strong global coalition that is ready and determined to act” and promised to facilitate access to technical assistance. Jun 24, 2026 Comment Did Colombia’s energy transition just come to a halt? With promises to lift a ban on oil and gas exploration and scale back renewables support, Colombia’s new Tiger President could threaten the country’s clean energy shift Read more Jun 24, 2026 News COP31 presidency ‘open’ to reflecting Santa Marta in UN climate process, ministers say The two co-hosts want the gathering of over 60 governments in Colombia to be reflected in the official UNFCCC climate process Read more Jun 23, 2026 News UN asks AI companies to reveal full environmental impacts UN chief António Guterres says big AI firms should disclose the emissions, water and energy use of