UK backs global '35 by 35' electrification pledge at COP31

The UK has endorsed the '35 by 35' pledge at the COP31 summit in Antalya, Türkiye, committing to work with other countries to raise the share of the world's energy supplied by electricity from under a quarter to more than a third by 2035. The announcement was made on 12 November 2026.

The Prime Minister delivered the UK National Statement at the summit. He said the focus on electrification would bring energy security, good jobs and lower bills.

The UK says it backed the pledge because clean electrification is critical to delivering existing UN commitments made under the Global Stocktake: tripling renewables, doubling energy efficiency and transitioning away from fossil fuels. Under the pledge, countries aim to rely less on imported fossil fuels and more on homegrown clean energy.

The government points to global electricity demand growing more than twice as fast as overall energy demand, as countries turn to clean electricity for homes, transport and industry. It also links the move to the search for energy security after years of instability and fossil fuel price shocks.

The government says the pledge builds on action over the past two years to electrify the British economy. It cites:

The UK also published a clean electrification roadmap on 12 November. It sets out some of the steps being taken to unlock the benefits of electrification for families, businesses and the country's energy security.