UN Climate Conference 2026: Turkey Puts First Global Electrification Target on COP31 Agenda – IRENA Sees 78 Percent Renewable Power Required by 2035
Abu Dhabi (UAE) — The electrification of the global energy system is set to receive a concrete international target for the first time. Ahead of the COP31 World Climate Conference, Turkey's designated presidency has proposed raising the share of electricity in global final energy consumption to 35 percent by 2035.
IRENA: Global Renewable Power Generation Grows to Record Level in 2024
According to IRENA's latest analysis, published on July 14, 2026, global renewable power generation reached a new record of 9,836 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2024. That marks a 9.8 percent increase over the previous year, the strongest annual growth on record. Renewables thus covered 31.7 percent of global electricity generation, while conventional power generation grew by just 1.4 percent over the same period.
Regional trends remain highly uneven, however. Asia continues to be by far the largest growth driver, while Europe and North America also continue to expand capacity. At the same time, the Middle East and Africa are emerging as new growth markets, although their share of global expansion remains comparatively small.
IRENA Scenario: 78 Percent Renewable Power Needed for 35 Percent Electrification
According to IRENA's scenario calculations, however, the current pace of expansion is not sufficient to meet the rising power demand of an increasingly electrified global economy in a climate-neutral way. For electricity's share of global final energy consumption to reach 35 percent by 2035, the share of renewables in global power generation would need to grow to around 78 percent. That would require a significantly accelerated expansion of wind and solar power, along with substantial investment in power grids, battery storage and other flexibility options.
UN Climate Conference 2026: Electricity Gets First Quantitative Target in International Climate Policy at COP31
As preparations for COP31 move forward, the focus for the first time extends beyond the expansion of individual renewable energy sources to the electrification of the entire energy system, backed by a concrete global target. Turkey's designated COP31 presidency has proposed raising the share of electricity in global final energy consumption from just over 20 percent currently to 35 percent by 2035.
The proposal is part of the COP31 Action Agenda being prepared by the Turkish presidency, building on initiatives launched under Brazil's COP30 presidency. Under the agreed partnership model, Australia is responsible for the formal UN climate negotiation process.
"With this initiative, electricity is receiving its own quantitative target within the COP process for the first time. That is an important step for international climate policy," said Dr. Norbert Allnoch, IWR (International Economic Forum for Renewable Energies). IWR had already developed a quantitative, investment-based approach to global climate protection in 2009, following the Copenhagen climate conference, with its CERINA Plan (CO2 Emissions and Renewable Investment Action Plan).
Based on a country's actually measured CO2 emissions, the model calculates a proportionate investment contribution to renewable energy and makes countries' contributions comparable through a transparent country ranking. "The CERINA Plan is based on the same underlying idea: measurable quantitative targets create transparency and comparability – and thereby become a decisive driver for action in international climate policy," Allnoch said.
The 31st UN World Climate Conference (COP31) will take place in Antalya, Turkey, from November 9 to 20, 2026.
Source: IWR Online, 20 Jul 2026
