ANTALYA, November 10, 2026 – United Nations Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell has urged governments and businesses to accelerate the transition to clean electricity, warning that continued dependence on fossil fuels exposes households, businesses and national economies to rising costs and economic shocks.
Stiell said electrification, powered by clean energy, offered countries an opportunity to reduce pollution, lower household energy bills and protect their economies from volatile fossil fuel prices.
Speaking at a COP31 Presidency press conference in Antalya, Türkiye, on Tuesday, Stiell said this year’s climate conference must prioritise practical solutions to help countries implement their global commitments and national climate plans.
“This year, we’re working differently: focusing more than ever before on practical solutions that help countries deliver global commitments and national plans,” he said.
He explained that COP31 would pursue this through two complementary tracks: formal negotiations and the Global Climate Action Agenda.
Stiell said the conference was taking place against a backdrop of escalating climate-related destruction, which continues to claim millions of lives and cause significant economic losses worldwide.
He also pointed to volatility in fossil fuel prices, saying it had subjected the global economy to severe pressure and fuelled inflation.
“No COP has a magic wand that can solve these multiple crises overnight. But each recent COP has delivered significant steps forward and COP31 must too,” he said.
Stiell identified electrification as one of the key practical solutions that governments should prioritise, urging countries to embrace what he described as the choice between going electric or continuing to suffer the economic consequences of fossil fuel dependence.
“Nations now face a choice: electric or shock. Rewire the global economy for the electricity age. Or accept ongoing fossil fuel cost pain for families, firms, and national budgets,” he said.
He cited figures from the International Renewable Energy Agency [IRENA], indicating that 90 percent of large-scale renewable energy projects are now cheaper than fossil fuel alternatives.
According to Stiell, the cost competitiveness of renewable energy represents a significant shift from the period when the Paris Agreement was adopted at the 21st United Nations Climate Change Conference [COP21], slightly more than a decade ago.
He also noted that renewable energy had overtaken coal in global electricity generation, although the transition remained uneven, with many countries requiring additional support to participate fully.
Stiell said existing technologies could already enable the electrification of up to 75 per cent of energy demand, calling for faster deployment of available solutions across more communities and countries.
He stressed that expanding access to electricity must go hand in hand with increasing the use of clean energy to shield economies from the instability associated with fossil fuel dependence.
The UN climate chief also revealed that 180 companies, with combined revenues of nearly US$ 1.7 trillion, were calling on COP31 to “seize the electric advantage”.
He said the COP31 Presidency’s Action Agenda target of 35 by 35 on electrification could help accelerate the global transition, urging governments, businesses, cities and states to support the initiative.
“There’s no quick fix to climate. There is a ton of hard work ahead,” Stiell said, adding that stronger efforts on climate solutions presented an opportunity to achieve faster progress at COP31.
He urged delegates and other stakeholders to seize the opportunity to advance practical climate action.
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