Simon Evans
07.10.26Simon Evans
10.07.2026 | 4:40pmLast month, COP31 president-designate Murat Kurum launched a target for 35% of the world’s final energy to come from electricity by 2035.
In an interview with Carbon Brief, Kurum says that the target was not a political choice, but instead reflects the latest evidence on “what is needed to keep 1.5C within reach”.
The ongoing Hormuz crisis means there is an “urgent” need for renewables and electrification, which are the “surest and cleanest way to protect citizens” from high energy prices.
Kurum says that the Brazilian and Ethiopian presidencies of COP30 and COP32, as well as the EU, UK and Canada, have welcomed the target.
He adds that “all have confirmed it will be central to discussions at COP31”.
In the interview, Kurum – who is also Turkey’s minister of environment, urbanisation and climate change – tells Carbon Brief where the target came from and what he expects to happen next.
Carbon Brief: You recently launched a target for 35% of the world’s final energy to come from electricity by 2035. Where did this idea come from?
Murat Kurum: The “35 by 35” target is grounded in technical data and based on the IEA [International Energy Agency] and IRENA [International Renewable Energy Agency] analysis of what is needed to keep [the 1.5C Paris Agreement target] within reach. The level was not chosen politically. Rather, it reflects what the science and the energy modelling tell us is required.
CB: Why do you think an electrification target is important right now?
MK: The case for the target is urgent right now. The latest war in the Gulf has made energy diversification – and, in particular, renewable energy transition and electrification – a top global priority, because it is the surest and cleanest way to protect citizens around the world from high and volatile energy prices.
At a time of real fragmentation in international relations, a single, shared target is needed to focus global efforts by aligning governments, businesses and investors behind a common benchmark and to send a clear market signal.
CB: Which countries are supporting this target so far?
MK: The reaction so far has been extremely positive and, while we presented our target at the UN June climate meetings in Bonn, our earlier conversations with parties at both the Petersberg and Copenhagen climate dialogues paved the way for this launch.
For example, the EU, UK, and Canada have welcomed the target, as have the Brazilian COP30 and Ethiopian COP32 presidencies. All have confirmed it will be central to discussions at COP31.
This support has been reflected in the business community as well, with polling by the We Mean Business Coalition showing that 90% of businesses expect to have largely electrified their operations by 2035 and that 88% expect electrification will make their business more competitive.
CB: How do you hope and expect to see this taken forward at the COP? Could it be in the formal COP outcomes, or part of the second global stocktake?
MK: We are now taking electrification forward as an “action agenda” initiative to bring actors together and drive progress. The action agenda and the [formal COP] negotiations are separate, but complementary, with different processes and thresholds, and it is too early to say what all countries might be able to agree in the negotiations. That is for parties to determine as the year progresses.
We are focused and determined to use COP31 as a moment to spark a global conversation about electrification.
CB: What are the key priorities for reaching the target?
MK: The critical sectors for reaching the target are buildings, transport and industry, which together account for around 45% of global emissions. Financial support for the developing world and investment in grids and infrastructure is also crucial.
The target also builds on COP28’s target to triple renewable energy capacity and seeks to take advantage of the tumbling cost of renewable power and other technologies critical to the energy transition. This is a journey that Turkey itself is taking ambitious steps on, including our plan to reach 120GW [gigawatts] of renewable capacity by 2035.
This interview was first published in the 10 July 2026 edition of Carbon Brief’s DeBriefed weekly newsletter. Sign up for free.
Facts Only
* Murat Kurum launched a target for 35% of the world’s final energy to come from electricity by 2035.
* The target reflects analysis from the IEA and IRENA regarding requirements to keep the 1.5C Paris Agreement within reach.
* Electrification and renewable energy transition are presented as the surest and cleanest way to protect citizens from high energy prices, especially due to the Hormuz crisis.
* Support for the target was expressed by the EU, UK, Canada, Brazil (COP30), and Ethiopia (COP32).
* Business community polling showed 90% of businesses expect largely electrified operations by 2035 and 88% expect electrification to increase competitiveness.
* The critical sectors for reaching the target are buildings, transport, and industry, which account for about 45% of global emissions.
* Financial support and investment in grids and infrastructure are considered crucial priorities.
* Turkey plans to reach 120GW of renewable capacity by 2035.
Executive Summary
The COP31 president-designate, Murat Kurum, stated that the target of 35% of the world’s final energy to come from electricity by 2035 is based on technical data from IEA and IRENA analyses necessary to keep the 1.5C Paris Agreement target achievable. Kurum emphasized that this transition, particularly through renewables and electrification, is an urgent necessity due to the Hormuz crisis, offering the surest and cleanest protection against volatile energy prices for citizens globally.
The target has received support from several major parties, including the EU, UK, Canada, and the presidencies of Brazil (COP30) and Ethiopia (COP32), all of whom expect it will be central to COP31 discussions. The business community also supports this direction, with polling indicating that most businesses anticipate largely electrifying operations by 2035 and view electrification as a driver for competitiveness.
Kurum advocates for advancing electrification as an "action agenda" initiative to coordinate global efforts, focusing key emissions sectors on buildings, transport, and industry, alongside crucial investment in infrastructure and financial support for developing nations. The pathway forward is framed around utilizing the falling costs of renewable energy and existing commitments to renewable capacity expansion.
Full Take
The narrative frames the energy transition not as a choice but as a scientific necessity dictated by climate limits, leveraging external geopolitical stress—specifically the Hormuz crisis—to create immediate political urgency around electrification. The presentation successfully bridges a technical mandate (IEA/IRENA modeling) with a socio-political appeal (protecting citizens from price volatility).
The pattern of consensus among major global actors demonstrates a potential for convergence on specific infrastructural solutions, even amid broader international fragmentation. However, the call to move this agenda forward through an "action agenda" rather than formal negotiations suggests a strategic maneuver to build momentum outside formal political constraints until alignment can be forced later. The focus on concrete sectors (buildings, transport, industry) and infrastructure acknowledges the systemic barriers that must be addressed alongside technological shifts.
The tension lies in the separation between the immediate "action agenda" and formal COP negotiations. This structure implicitly sets up a hierarchy where kinetic action precedes political agreement. Questions arise about whether this strategy effectively navigates diverse national interests or risks sidelining complex, protracted diplomatic negotiation in favor of rapid implementation driven by perceived scientific imperative. What mechanisms will ensure that the necessary financial support and grid investment prioritize equitable development rather than solely market competitiveness?
Sentinel — Human
The text reads like direct reporting from an interview, supported by referenced data and geopolitical context, exhibiting strong human journalistic markers.