KEY POINTS

• COP31 leaders have called for faster action against global warming as climate disasters threaten lives and economic activity.
• Turkey’s presidency is seeking support for a target to electrify more than a third of the global economy by 2035.
• Disruptions to oil shipments linked to the Iran war have pushed up fuel prices and renewed reliance on fossil fuels.
• Rising renewable energy deployment offers an alternative, while growing electricity demand from artificial intelligence presents a new challenge.

MAIN STORY

Leaders at the COP31 climate summit have urged governments to accelerate efforts to tackle global warming, warning that rising temperatures and climate-related disasters continue to threaten lives and economies.

The appeal came as the two-week United Nations conference opened on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, with climate action competing for attention alongside international conflicts, inflation and the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence.

UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said the pace of global action remained insufficient despite progress made so far.

“The urgency of this moment must drive us forward,” Stiell said in prepared remarks, adding that progress was “nowhere near fast enough”.

Turkey’s COP31 presidency has made electrification a central theme of this year’s summit, seeking international support for a target to electrify more than a third of the global economy by 2035.

The proposal is intended to reduce emissions by accelerating the replacement of fossil fuel-powered vehicles, heating systems, cooking equipment and other machines with electricity-based alternatives.

COP31 President Murat Kurum said the aim was to make the benefits of climate agreements visible in people’s everyday lives through more energy-efficient buildings, cleaner public transport, affordable energy and new employment opportunities.

However, the conflict in the Middle East has exposed the difficulty of reducing dependence on fossil fuels. The Iran war, now in its ninth month, has severely disrupted oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, pushing up fuel prices and forcing countries to seek alternative supplies.

The disruption has also strengthened arguments for continued investment in oil, gas and coal. The administration of US President Donald Trump, which is not participating in climate talks for the second consecutive year, has encouraged policies aimed at increasing fossil fuel production.

South Korea, India, Thailand and other Asian countries have also increased their reliance on coal or taken steps to expand coal-fired electricity generation.

John Holdren, a Harvard University academic and former science adviser to US President Barack Obama, said the energy crisis had made it easier for supporters of continued fossil fuel use to defend their position.

“A lot of people who previously might have been embarrassed to argue for continuing very high use of fossil fuel are now feeling empowered to make that case,” he said.

Despite this, renewable energy deployment has continued to grow, supported by rising exports of relatively cheap clean-energy technology from China.

Stiell argued that renewable energy offered a more sustainable route to energy security, particularly as fossil fuel price shocks continue to affect households and businesses.

“This year’s fossil fuel cost chaos has delivered a global shockwave, hitting households hard and spreading inflation like a cancer,” he said.

He added that renewable energy installations had saved the global economy hundreds of billions of dollars.

The growing use of artificial intelligence is another issue facing negotiators. The expansion of data centres and other AI infrastructure is increasing electricity demand and could add to greenhouse gas emissions if that demand is met mainly through fossil fuel generation.

Turkey is expected to present principles for governments, businesses and other institutions to guide the sustainable development and deployment of AI.

Chris Bowen, Australia’s president of COP31 negotiations, said he hoped the summit would demonstrate the value of international cooperation.

“Paris is working,” he said, referring to the 2015 climate agreement, “But we must move faster.”

THE ISSUES

The central challenge facing COP31 is how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions without compromising the energy supply that households, businesses and industries depend on.

Electrification is one way to address this. When vehicles, cooking equipment and heating systems switch from directly burning petrol, diesel, gas or other fossil fuels to using electricity, emissions can fall, particularly when that electricity comes from renewable sources such as solar and wind.

However, electrification does not automatically eliminate emissions. If a country generates most of its electricity from coal or gas, switching more activities to electricity can simply move emissions from homes and vehicles to power stations. The environmental benefit therefore depends partly on how electricity is generated.

The recent disruption to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz has also exposed the economic risks of relying heavily on fossil fuels. When supplies are interrupted, fuel prices can rise, increasing transport, electricity and production costs. These increases can feed into the prices of goods and services, adding to inflation and putting pressure on household budgets.

Renewable energy offers countries an opportunity to reduce exposure to some of these international fuel supply disruptions. Solar and wind installations do not require continuous purchases of imported oil or gas to produce electricity. However, expanding their contribution also requires investment in electricity grids, storage systems and other infrastructure to ensure power remains available when generation fluctuates.

Artificial intelligence introduces another complication. Its expansion requires substantial computing infrastructure and electricity. If the additional demand is supplied by fossil fuel-powered plants, the growth of AI could increase emissions even as other sectors work to reduce them.

For developing economies, including Nigeria, these debates have practical implications. The transition to cleaner energy must also address the cost of electricity, the reliability of supply, access to finance and the infrastructure needed to support businesses and households. The choice is not simply between fossil fuels and renewables, but how countries can expand reliable energy access while reducing their exposure to fuel price shocks and environmental damage.

WHAT’S NEXT

COP31 negotiations will focus on securing government support for Turkey’s proposed 2035 electrification target and establishing principles for the sustainable use of artificial intelligence.

The summit will also test whether countries can maintain commitments to climate action despite pressure from energy supply disruptions, inflation and competing geopolitical priorities.

BOTTOM LINE

COP31 leaders are pushing for faster electrification and renewable energy deployment, but the Iran war and rising power demand from AI underline the difficulty of reducing fossil fuel dependence. The challenge is to build energy systems that are cleaner, affordable and reliable enough to support economic activity.