Disruption to energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz strengthens the case for moving away from fossil fuels, Ursula von der Leyen told COP31 in Antalya. Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen announced a campaign to help cities put that ambition into practice.
“The world is witnessing the cost of continuing with the status quo. For our climate. And for our energy security,” Ms von der Leyen said. She pointed to volatile energy markets alongside floods, droughts and one of Europe’s worst wildfire seasons on record.
The world is witnessing the cost of continuing with the status quo. For our climate. And for our energy security. — Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
More than 70 per cent of EU electricity came from clean sources last year, she said. The Commission wants electricity’s share of final energy use to reach 46 per cent by 2040, roughly double its current level. Ms von der Leyen also endorsed the global “35 by 35” electrification pledge, citing potential benefits for emissions and energy security.
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Cities campaign to follow
“National targets and commitments alone will not guarantee the success of the transition,” Mr Jørgensen told a separate meeting at the summit. He said cities should help shape national strategies, drawing on their knowledge of local needs and investment opportunities.
“The goal is to ensure that cities are not only responsible for delivering the transition, but also have a concrete role in shaping it,” he said. National governments must also create conditions that enable local action, he argued, with clean electrification offering opportunities to reduce fossil-fuel dependence across transport, buildings and industry.
Mr Jørgensen announced that Electrify Cities would launch the following day. The Global Covenant of Mayors will help bring cities and businesses together around clean electrification. His remarks did not specify a dedicated budget, participating cities or individual projects.
“Ultimately, the success of our climate ambition will be measured not only in emissions reduced, but in jobs created, economies strengthened and lives improved,” he said. The Commission supported the substance of the meeting’s statement on cooperation between levels of government, although it could not formally endorse it that day.
