Europe committed to becoming first climate-neutral continent: EU chief

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized Europe's commitment to becoming the world's first climate-neutral continent at a summit during the UN Climate Conference in Antalya, Turkey. She stated that more than 70% of Europe's electricity already comes from clean energy sources and this share is expected to increase.

The European Union aims to double the share of electricity in final energy consumption to 46% by 2040, covering heating, driving, and home power usage. Von der Leyen commended Turkey's goal to cover 35% of global final energy consumption with electricity by 2035 and urged other nations to follow suit.

She described the summer of 2026 as the "summer of truth," referring to devastating floods in Nepal, droughts in Sudan and Central America, and Europe's record-breaking wildfire season. Von der Leyen stressed the urgency to combat climate change, noting that Europe has already cut its emissions by more than half since 1990 and is on track to reduce them by 90% by 2040.

During the two-week conference, leaders from over 190 countries discussed climate protection measures and financial assistance for vulnerable nations, many of which face disproportionate consequences from climate change.