EU climate chief hints bloc may drop clean power push at COP31

In Antalya, Turkey, the EU climate chief has indicated that the bloc may abandon a crucial clean energy demand during the upcoming COP31 conference in order to attract more nations to an electrification initiative. An agreement endorsing the acceleration of electrification, which would increase electricity's share in energy consumption, has been proposed as a means to tackle both climate change and the surging fuel costs stemming from the Iran conflict.

At the COP31 summit in Antalya, delegates are presently considering whether they can achieve a unanimous stance on this matter during the summit's final deliberations.

The Turkish-Australian hosts have further encouraged countries to endorse a voluntary commitment to boost electrification. The European Union initially entered the conference with the intention that any electrification accord would specifically mention "clean" power, originating from renewable or nuclear sources. This position was established in the negotiating mandate approved by the EU's 27 member governments last month.

Will Hoekstra, the EU's climate commissioner and co-leader of negotiations, told POLITICO and other media outlets that the bloc could potentially relinquish this requirement. "The world needs a more radical, faster electrification," he stated. "Ideally, this should predominantly come from solar, wind, and nuclear sources." However, he also acknowledged the necessity of pragmatism to secure a wider consensus among participating countries.

Hoekstra remarked that even utilizing electricity generated from polluting sources, or "gray electricity," is preferable to continuing to burn fossil fuels. He emphasized that switching from combustion to more efficient power, even if it employs gray electricity, would still lead to a reduction in energy demand and, consequently, emissions.

"Of course we need to have a high degree of solar, wind and nuclear — and at the same time, if we embark on more electrification and part of that is gray, it is still much better to have someone charging their car with gray electricity than to continue to drive on fossil fuels, right?" Hoekstra continued. "It would be a tactical mistake to seek absolutes in this."

Nonetheless, Hoekstra expressed optimism that electrification could serve as a "unifier" in the negotiations, potentially facilitating an agreement on the previously contentious aim of transitioning away from fossil fuels. He also noted that China shared a similar viewpoint on electrification. "The good thing about electrification is that there is a certain degree of ambiguity to it, which will probably make it easier to unite a larger group behind that thing," he added.

Hoekstra admitted, however, that he had "low expectations" for the Antalya summit. "The geopolitics of the moment are extremely difficult... Secondly, the whole pushback on climate action from various corners of the globe, the fact that the Americans have completely checked out of this, if you add all of that up... that combination shapes expectations," he said. Nonetheless, he affirmed: "I do think we have a chance of success in the domain of electrification."