-

23 June 2026

Speaking at the Second Meeting of the Energy Transition Dialogue, organized as part of London Climate Action Week, COP31 President-Designate and Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum stressed that strong support has emerged from countries, international organizations, and the corporate sector for the target of ‘35% electrification by 2035.’ Minister Kurum noted, “To transform this collective ownership into lasting success, we cannot allow electrification to become a race restricted only to countries with access to technology. The clean energy transition is, at its core, a matter of equitable development. If this transition is not backed by financial equity, climate solutions could devolve into a new form of development inequality. This is our fundamental sensitivity as the COP31 Presidency; this transition must be both ambitious and just.

Highlighting Türkiye's green industry and environmental policies, Minister Kurum said, “Under the leadership of our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Türkiye has gained significant experience across numerous areas, from urbanization and disaster management to renewable energy, Zero Waste, industrial transformation, and resilient infrastructure. And we are eager to bring this wealth of experience to the collective wisdom of COP31.”

On the second day of events launched within the framework of London Climate Action Week, COP31 President-Designate and Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum attended the Second Meeting of the Energy Transition Dialogue, co-hosted by the COP31 Presidency and the International Energy Agency (IEA). The high-level meeting convened Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency; Alparslan Bayraktar, Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources; Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 President and Special Envoy of the President of Azerbaijan for Climate Issues; Andre Correa do Lago, COP30 President; Gedion Timothewos, COP32 President-Designate and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, and Prof. Halil Hasar, Director of Climate Change; alongside ministers from numerous nations. In his address, Minister Kurum underscored the strategic collaboration with the International Energy Agency during the COP31 Presidency process. “Aligning the data-driven strength of the International Energy Agency with the political will of our COP31 Presidency is of paramount importance,” said Minister Kurum, "This is because the greatest need in climate diplomacy today is no longer ambitious rhetoric, but measurable roadmaps. These high-level dialogues are vital for reinforcing our collective political will and shaping the shared blueprint we will advance together on the road to COP31.”

“WE CAN NEVER ADDRESS ELECTRIFICATION IN ISOLATION FROM FINANCE”

Minister Kurum recalled that electrification, a key pillar of the COP31 Action Agenda, took center stage during the inaugural meeting held in Paris. Emphasizing that electrification constitutes a core approach of COP31, Minister Kurum stated, “We can never address electrification in isolation from finance, finance from the right to development, renewable energy from grid investments, cities from industry, or buildings from daily life. The fundamental approach of COP31 is to unite these interlocking pieces under the same spotlight. Therefore, we view the '35% by 2035' target as far more than a mere technical ratio; it is a holistic call to action that simultaneously addresses energy security, clean manufacturing, urban transformation, and equitable development.”

“WHAT WE EXPECT IS A REPORT THAT OUTLINES THE PATHWAYS TO THIS TARGET”

Recalling that they unveiled the “35% electrification by 2035” target to the public in Bonn two weeks ago, Minister Kurum stated, “We told the entire world that we would be open and transparent, and that there would be no room for surprises. We clearly laid out exactly what we think and what we want to achieve. This target foresees meeting 35% of final energy consumption through electricity by 2035. We factored in all parameters when setting this target. The International Energy Agency also provided invaluable contributions at this stage. What we expect now is for the IEA to prepare a dedicated report that outlines the pathways to this target. Studies by both the International Energy Agency and the International Renewable Energy Agency clearly state that if countries want to hit their Net-Zero Emissions Targets, they simply must make this happen. Through our strategic partnership with the IEA, we will use this dedicated report to clearly present this necessity to all nations in the light of science. For us, it is incredibly valuable that this report serves not just as a general assessment for countries, but as an actionable, measurable, and trackable roadmap.”

“COMPANIES ENVISION SHIFTING THEIR OPERATIONS AROUND ELECTRIFICATION”

Pointing out that strong support has emerged from countries, international organizations, and the corporate sector for the ‘35% by 2035’ target, Minister Kurum noted, “Recent surveys also clearly show that the business world is already moving in this direction. In fact, 90% of the companies surveyed envision shifting their operations largely around electrification by 2035. This trend should encourage us all, as it demonstrates that the real economy is ready for this target and that there is strong ownership behind this transformation. However, to turn this collective ownership into lasting success, we cannot let electrification become a race restricted only to countries with access to technology. The clean energy transition is, at its core, a matter of equitable development. If this transition is not backed by financial equity, climate solutions could devolve into a new form of development inequality. This is our fundamental sensitivity as the COP31 Presidency: this transition must be both ambitious and just.”

“THE TRANSITION TO CLEAN ENERGY CANNOT WEAKEN THE RIGHT TO ENERGY ACCESS”

Minister Kurum underscored that two vital realities must be focused on while working toward the electrification target, stating, “First, we must meet the rising demand for electricity by rapidly scaling up the supply of clean and renewable energy.
Second, we must ensure that developing countries have access to the finance needed to roll out investments that expand energy access. This is because the transition to clean energy cannot be allowed to weaken the right to energy access. Unless we secure developing nations' access to technology, grid investments, renewable energy capacity, and affordable finance, our shared goals cannot achieve real success on a global scale. As the COP31 Presidency, the issue is crystal clear to us: delivering on past promises is an indispensable prerequisite for reaching our shared goals. We want to make COP31 a summit where pledges are put into practice, not just repeated. That is why we call it the COP of Implementation, that is why we emphasize results, and that is why we say it is time for action.”

“OUR TARGET IS TO CUT WASTE GROWTH IN HALF BY 2035”

Regarding energy consumption in buildings and waste management under the COP31 Action Agenda, Minister Kurum made the following remarks: “We have two more major targets. The first is to reduce energy consumption intensity in buildings by 25% by 2035. The second is to cut waste growth in half—reducing it by 50% by 2035. We view cities, buildings, production, consumption, and daily life as interconnected links within the very same chain of transformation. Under the leadership of our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Türkiye has gained significant experience across numerous areas, from urbanization and disaster management to renewable energy, Zero Waste, industrial transformation, and resilient infrastructure. And we are eager to bring this wealth of experience to the collective wisdom of COP31.”