Milliam Murigi | milliammurigi@gmail.com
Electrification is one of the key agenda items at COP31, with the Presidencies seeking to secure a new electrification target as part of the conference outcomes.
The proposed target aims to accelerate the shift away from fossil fuels by promoting greater use of electricity in sectors such as transport, cooking and manufacturing.
However, experts warn that expanding electrification without adequate investment in renewable energy and supporting infrastructure could undermine efforts to achieve a clean energy transition.
Teresa Anderson of ActionAid says the success of such an ambition will depend on whether countries can ensure that additional electricity comes increasingly from renewable sources, while remaining affordable and accessible to communities.
Speaking during a webinar organized by Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture (MESHA) to guide journalists on energy-transition stories to pursue at COP31, Anderson urged reporters to look beyond the familiar narrative of oil-producing countries blocking progress on fossil fuel commitments and examine the role of inadequate climate finance in slowing the transition.
“Lack of climate finance is a major obstacle for developing countries seeking to move away from fossil fuels, as they require substantial investments to build alternative energy systems while meeting growing energy demand,” she said.
According to Clem Perry, electricity currently accounts for just over 20 per cent of global final energy consumption, highlighting the potential for electrification to reduce fossil fuel use across different sectors.
Electrification involves replacing technologies that directly burn fossil fuels with alternatives powered by electricity. These include replacing petrol and diesel vehicles with electric vehicles, gas-powered cooking with electric appliances and fossil fuel-based industrial equipment with electric alternatives.
However, the environmental benefits depend on how the electricity is generated. An electric vehicle powered by electricity generated from coal, for instance, may have a smaller climate advantage than one charged using renewable energy.
“Expanding electric technologies must go hand in hand with decarbonizing electricity generation if countries are to achieve meaningful emissions reductions,” says Perry.
The transition also requires investment in transmission and distribution networks, energy storage and systems capable of accommodating increasing electricity demand.
As more households, vehicles, factories and businesses switch to electricity, existing power networks could face additional pressure if infrastructure investments do not keep pace.
“The cost of adopting electric technologies is another challenge, particularly for low-income households and small businesses that may struggle with the initial investment,” adds Perry.
Although electric technologies can be cheaper to operate over time because of their higher energy efficiency, access to financing and supporting infrastructure determines who can benefit.
For instance, an electric motorcycle may offer lower daily running costs to a commercial rider, but the initial purchase price, access to charging or battery-swapping facilities and availability of affordable financing can determine whether the switch is possible.
Anderson said the proposed electrification target should therefore be guided by just transition principles. This means ensuring that new electricity systems are increasingly powered by renewable energy, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, improve affordable energy access and protect the rights of communities affected by energy projects.
She also highlighted the importance of a roadmap on transitioning away from fossil fuels being advanced through a Brazilian-led initiative running alongside the formal UN climate negotiations.
The initiative is separate from an agreed UNFCCC-wide policy but could provide another platform for countries to discuss pathways for reducing fossil fuel dependence.
Juma Ignatius from World Vision says that while international climate finance increasingly supports clean energy deployment, too little reaches fragile and conflict-affected settings where reliable electricity can mean the difference between continuity and collapse of essential services.
“If COP31 is serious about resilience, climate finance must follow vulnerability, not just investment attractiveness,” says Juma.
According to him, when powered through sustainable renewable energy solutions, electrification can simultaneously strengthen resilience, and reduce environmental degradation.
Africa’s energy challenge according to Juma is not simply a lack of resources but a climate finance mismatch. Despite the continent having 60 per cent of the world’s best solar resources, it receives only 2 per cent of global renewable energy investment, leaving millions of people without reliable access to the energy needed to support essential services and resilient development.
Communities most vulnerable to climate impacts frequently struggle to access the financing needed to power health centres, schools, water systems and local economies.
This is a profound injustice because those contributing least to climate change are often the last to benefit from investments that could strengthen their resilience and adaptive capacity. “COP31 must help address this imbalance by ensuring climate finance reaches the vulnerable children and communities who need it most, including through investments in resilient essential services and sustainable energy solutions,” adds Juma.
