--- title: 90+ Civil Society Organizations Outline Conditions for Supporting COP31 Electrification Pledge date: 2026-09-24T08:21:24Z modified: 2026-09-24T11:50:00Z permalink: "https://350.org/press-release/85-civil-society-organizations-outline-conditions-for-supporting-cop31-electrification-pledge/" type: press-release status: publish excerpt: "" wpid: 175531928 author: kimbryan timestamp: 2026-09-24T11:50:00Z tags: [] --- **_Open letter to the COP31 Presidencies of Türkiye and Australia welcomes a global electrification target while calling for seven guardrails to ensure equitable, renewable-led implementation._** [**The full letter is available here**](https://oilchange.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Electrification-done-right_-civil-society-conditions-for-the-35-by-35-target-1.pdf) **September 24, 2026 –** This Thursday, as the Türkiye COP31 Presidency details its Electrification Initiative and Pledge during Electrification Day at NY Climate Week, 92 civil society organizations and networks from around the world are publishing an open letter to the COP31 Presidencies of Türkiye and Australia. The letter sets out the conditions under which the organizations would support the global electrification target and help build the public mandate necessary for its successful implementation. The organizations state that they “welcome the COP31 Presidency’s proposal to place a global target of 35% electrification of final energy demand by 2035 as a key element of COP31, and the growing political momentum behind electrification”. However, they emphasize that electrification is a means, rather than an end, and that their support for the proposed target is contingent on a broader set of measures and commitment. “(The electrification target) counts only if the power is renewable, if it reaches the people who have no electricity today, if the money follows, and if it comes alongside progress in the negotiations on the Just Transition mechanism, finance, and adaptation, and other existing commitments.”, they state in the letter. The letter’s signatories call on governments, the COP31 Presidencies, and the United Nations to anchor any electrification target and initiative in seven guardrails: 1. Electrification must run on renewables and cut fossil fuel dependence, not extend it. 2. Efficiency and sufficiency come first, and people come before data centres. 3. Electrification must close the energy access gap. 4. A global benchmark must be delivered through national targets and policies. 5. Grids and storage must be built for renewables and respect community rights. 6. Ambition must be backed by public finance and real means of implementation. 7. Transition minerals must not repeat the harms of extraction. The organizations also flesh out each guardrail and further state that they “stand ready to work with the COP31 Presidencies and governments to make electrification done right a consequential outcome of COP31.” The letter will be formally delivered to representatives of the Australian and Turkish COP31 Presidencies in the coming days. **Emel Türker Alpay, Climate and Energy Campaigner at Greenpeace Türkiye** said: “Electrification is not an end in itself. It’s only a win for the climate if it displaces fossil fuels. We need COP31 to commit to a renewable-powered electrification goal: funded, equitable, and grounded in justice for the communities and countries who’ve been left out of the energy transition so far.” **Pierre Terras, Programme Lead at Beyond Fossil Fuels**, said: “Electrification is one of the most powerful tools we have, but it will only serve climate action if it is powered by renewable energy and displaces fossil fuels. New data centres, propelled by Big Tech’s AI race, are a direct threat to clean electrification. Today, they are one of the main drivers of the global expansion of fossil gas power generation. And even if powered by renewables, they risk crowding everyone else out, consuming clean energy that is urgently needed by homes, transport and industry to decarbonise, unless clear guardrails are put in place.” **Claire Smith, Senior International Campaigner, Beyond Fossil Fuels**, said: “Let’s not let electrification become the Trojan horse of our times, used to hide new fossil fuel consumption rather than promote renewable energy. The 35-by-35 pledge will only address today’s climate and energy crises if electrification is powered by a flexible energy system where solar and wind energy is complemented by enhanced grids and storage. As it stands, the COP31 Presidency’s pledge leaves the backdoor open for governments to conceal or justify expanded fossil fuel use under the guise of electrification. We are already seeing data centres divert electricity and renewable energy away from the sectors that genuinely need to decarbonise, driving higher fossil gas dependence and pushing up electricity costs for consumers. Clear guardrails are essential to ensure that electrification advances both climate justice and equitable access to renewable energy, and not the fossil industry’s agenda.” **Fenton Lutunatabua, Pacific and Caribbean Program Lead at 350.org, said:** “So far, we have come through the UNGA summit with Türkiye and Australia preparing to lead COP31, and neither country has even mentioned the need to phase out fossil fuels. That is an extraordinary failure of leadership. “The COP28 agreement was clear: the world must transition away from fossil fuels. Yet the two governments tasked with steering COP31 are talking about electrification, energy demand and energy security while avoiding the central question when and how will we end our dependence on coal, oil and gas? “Electrification is not a fossil fuel phase-out. Building more grids while continuing to burn and export coal and gas is not a transition. If Türkiye and Australia are serious about their COP31 responsibilities, they need to stop dancing around the issue and put a clear, rapid and fair phase-out of fossil fuels at the heart of their leadership. “The world has heard enough promises. COP31 cannot be another summit where governments talk about everything except the fossil fuels driving the climate crisis. Türkiye and Australia need to start leading, and that means talking about, and acting on, the phase-out of fossil fuels.” **Kathryn McCallum, Director of Strategy at Climate Action Network Australia said:** “Electrification is welcome if it advances the transition away from fossil fuels, is renewable and equitable – but the litmus test for Australia’s credibility as COP31 President of Negotiations is whether the Albanese Government keeps approving new coal and gas projects.” **MEDIA CONTACT Peri Dias** WhatsApp: +55 11 971 270 232