For Pacific Island countries, keeping the 1.5°C goal within reach is not an abstract global ambition. It is central to protecting communities, livelihoods, ecosystems and the future of the region. This week, Pacific leaders, governments and climate decision-makers are meeting in Fiji and Tuvalu for the Pacific Pre-COP, putting Pacific priorities and leadership at the centre of discussions ahead of COP31.
Against this backdrop, Climate Resource has published new analysis prepared for the COP31 Presidency examining the role of electrification in the pathways that keep 1.5°C within reach. The analysis finds that electricity’s share of global final energy rises from around 23% today to a median of 35% by 2035 across the latest lowest-overshoot climate pathways. This provides strong evidence that the COP31 Presidency’s proposed ‘35 by 35’ global electrification target is consistent with the latest climate science.
The analysis also shows that electrification must go hand in hand with rapid renewable energy deployment and declining fossil fuel use.