IEA releases special report on global electrification ahead of COP31 | Report

The International Energy Agency (IEA) released its Special Report on Global Electrification on September 22, 2026, at the UN General Assembly in New York, according to a press release by the World Resources Institute (WRI). The report was requested by Türkiye and Australia to inform COP31 discussions. It offers new analysis to advance the Presidency’s ambition of raising electricity’s share of final global energy use from around 23% today to 35% by 2035. The findings indicate that fully exploiting today’s cost-competitive potential for electrification could raise the global electrification rate to 33%. The publication arrives amid rising electricity demand and renewed concerns over fossil fuel dependence.

WRI issued a statement responding to the report through Dr Nick Wayth CEng FEI, Global Director of the WRI Polsky Center for the Global Energy Transition. He noted that recent disruptions around Hormuz and higher energy prices have strained household budgets. These developments have again exposed the risks of relying on fossil fuels. At the same time, rising electricity demand is placing pressure on grids worldwide. Wayth stressed that people need energy that is affordable, reliable, and secure, and that electrification can help deliver all three.

According to Wayth, countries cannot control every geopolitical shock, but they can control how exposed they are to one. The more cars, factories, and buildings run on clean electricity, the less they depend on volatile fuel markets and supply routes. The report shows that electric technologies can deliver services such as transport and heating far more efficiently than fossil-fuel alternatives. Paired with cleaner power, efficient technologies, and well-designed electricity markets, electrification can cut emissions and strengthen economic competitiveness. It can also protect households and businesses from fossil fuel price shocks.

“The 35×35 goal gives countries a clear target, and the report shows that getting close to it cost-effectively is already within reach,” Wayth said.

Reaching the goal will require concrete plans to ensure power systems can keep pace as more of the economy electrifies. That means expanding capacity faster and more strategically, while getting more from today’s infrastructure through storage, efficiency, and flexible demand. Governments also need planning, tariffs, and market rules that reward consumers and businesses for shifting electricity use away from peak times. Such measures must be backed by the finance needed to put those changes into practice.

Wayth concluded that success will be measured not just by how fast electrification grows, but by whether it lowers energy bills. It should also be measured by whether it expands access to essential services. Equally important is whether it creates greater economic opportunities for workers and communities. The report positions electrification as a central pillar of the COP31 agenda. Its release sets the stage for further discussions on how governments can align policies, finance, and infrastructure with the 35×35 target.