iStockCOP summits often feature voluntary goals from countries willing to act faster on tackling climate change.
At COP28 in Dubai in 2023, for example, countries signed off on a goal to triple nuclear power by 2050.
As of March, some 38 countries endorsed the goal, but the amount of nuclear power in the world has not increased substantially so far.
The COP31 climate summit might count as a success if there is a commitment from all countries attending to significantly boost the electrification of their economies, according to the event’s head of negotiations.One of the main goals of the organizers of the United Nations climate conference starting next week in Antalya, Turkey, is to have countries party to the Paris Agreement to sign up to a goal to increase the global share of final energy demand coming from electricity to 35% by 2035, from about 20% today.
So far, however, the ambition remains only a voluntary one for countries to commit to.“I would like to see a strong outcome on electrification in our presidency-led decision,” said Chris Bowen, Australia’s climate change and energy minister and COP31’s president of negotiations, on the Zero podcast.
That decision would have to be signed off by all countries attending the summit, which starts on Nov.
9.The rise in oil and gas prices linked to ongoing wars in Europe and the Middle East has forced fossil-fuel importing countries — which make up three-fourths of the world’s population — to find ways to reduce consumption and find alternatives.
Electrification is part of the solution.
With costs falling for solar panels and batteries, many countries have opted to speed up the transition to electric cars and heat pumps.“Electrification is an unquestionably good thing,” Bowen said.
“Even if your grid is powered by coal and you don’t have solar panels at home, if you’re just....
