(Opening) COP31-IEA High-Level Energy Transition Dialogue

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, we are starting our high-level dialogue three. Can we please take our seats to start the event? We are honored and very happy to see so many distinguished leaders from all continents to come together to discuss the issues for COP 31, which is going to take place in Antalya in Turkey. We are particularly honored with the presence of the First Lady of Turkey. Dear colleagues, we are going to discuss the COP31 and the climate issues, but I think it will not be possible to discuss any issue today, economy-related, energy-related issue, without considering what is happening in Middle East. Today, dear colleagues, we are seeing one of the most serious energy crisis in the world. And oil prices hit $100 per barrel. More importantly, many product prices, such as diesel prices, double what they were before the war has started. This has major implications for the economies of the world, especially those in the developing regions, in Asia, in Africa, and beyond. This also begs the question for many countries what is the best energy strategy for them in the next years to come. Like in the previous crisis in 1970s, oil crisis, I know firsthand that the many governments are reassessing their energy strategies, partnerships, and the choice of technologies. Here, I know that the countries are taking energy security as a key topic for their reassessed energy policies. And when I look at the countries and the governments who choose the energy security as a key topic, which is well understood because we live in a dangerous world today, the choices they make may well have major implications for the emissions trajectories in the future. As such, COP 31 comes at a crucial time because what I see that the energy security objectives and the clean energy objectives are closely aligned. I have never seen that they are so aligned in the past. And on top of that, what is very good is that the economics work for that as well. When I look at what happened in the last seven months, the data, I see a strong jump in the renewables, especially solar energy, electric cars, nuclear power, among others. So therefore, I am very happy that the Turkey and Australia have chosen electrification as a key area of concentration for COP31. Dear colleagues, IEA is the strategic partner for COP31. I am grateful to President Erdogan and Prime Minister Albanese for asking IAEA through their ministers, their governments, to prepare a report on how we can bring the share of electricity in 2035 to 35% from 23% today. And our analysis, which was asked by these two governments, show that the electrification will be good for the energy security. good for the economy and good for reducing the emissions. So I would like to hear congregate both Turkey and also Australia as the COP31 organizers. AIEA has been the strategic partner in the last several COP meetings in Dubai, in Emirates, in Baku, in Azerbaijan, in Belam, in Brazil. So in addition to the electrification, I am also happy that we are supporting the COP31 presidency in terms of the work I was mentioning in a few minutes when I introduced the First Lady, in terms of zero waste and also energy efficiency and beyond. So, uh, dear colleagues, uh, if I can, uh, I would like to now go to, uh, uh, uh, we have a few keynote speakers to hear their views, how they see the COP31 priorities. and where we are, that we have only a few weeks left for Antalya. And I would like to first, if you allow me, start with His Excellency Murat Kurum, COP31 President-designate. I had the honor to host Minister Kurum first in Paris in April, where he shared his vision for COP31. and also in the second round of meetings in London in June, and now finally here in September in New York.

Distinguished Minister, may I leave the floor to you?

Thank you very much, Her Excellency, Emina Erdogun, my dear friend, Fatih Birol, Esteemed ministers, distinguished representatives of delegations, esteemed MPs, ladies and gentlemen, it is my great pleasure to greet you on behalf of the COP31 presidency. In the run up to Antalya, we are having this meeting here today in New York, and I wish everyone every success. The objectives for clean energy transition have been largely set out, as Mr. Birtel also said. We now must focus on translating these objectives into actionable results in countries' energy systems, investments, and economies. We have a strategic collaboration with IEA. And at this point, I would like to thank my dear friend, Mr. Fatih Birol. As the COP31 presidency, ever since the first day, we said we would focus on consensus, dialogue, and action. So to all of our friends here, I would like to note that the will demonstrated by President Erdogan and also the ownership of the First Lady, Emine Erdogan, Turkey is now writing a success story as we speak. And behind this success story, without a doubt, we have the First Lady, Emine Erdogan. All the environmental projects are championed by her. And we don't have a political perspective here. All the spheres of the community are involved without being overlooked. And the aim is to leave a better world for the entire world. This is the mere objective. So I would like to extend my gratitude to the First Lady here. And let's give a round of applause, please. Of course, my dear friend, as the COP31 presidency, we consider electrification as one of the key areas of implementation under the action agenda. And the goal of increasing the share of electricity in global final energy consumption to 35% by 2035 gives us a common direction. We need more clean energy. We also need stronger grids, storage capacity, and flexible systems, as well as investments to accelerate electrification in transportation, industry, and buildings. Expanding access to energy and meeting the growing developmental needs of developing countries are also integral parts of this effort. Countries might have different starting points, financial opportunities, and infrastructure capacities. While maintaining these shared objectives, we need to establish an implementation framework in which each country can develop pathways suited to its own circumstances. The COP31 electrification pledge is strengthening political commitment around the 2035 target and calling upon countries to accelerate their policies and investment To turn this commitment into results, the COP31 Global Electrification Initiative we have launched that will bring countries, international organizations, financial institutions, and the private sector together around actionable projects. So today's dialogue is of particular importance. On the way to COP31, we want to support our political objectives with scientific and technical analyses. Within the framework of the strategic partnership between the COP31 presidency and the IEA, we are pleased to see the publication today of the special report on electrification. This report provides a strong analytical basis, foundation for the policies and implementation measures needed. Here, we will assess countries' experiences, the challenges they face, and scalable solutions. Your contributions will directly inform our work towards COP31, and as we head towards Antalya, we will have four complementary elements. the 35% target for 2035, the electrification pledge, the Global Electrification Initiative, and the IEA special report on electrification. They asked us, how are you going to do this? How is it going to be possible? But with this strategic partnership with IAEA, we will do this with a scientifically backed report. And hereby, we publish this report today. Now we must turn these into a coherent whole that delivers results on the ground. We must accelerate investments in grids and storage, channel financing towards actionable projects, and strengthen access for developing countries. I would like to hereby invite our partners to support this target, join the pledge, and develop concrete implementation projects under this initiative. And I would like to thank the United Nations, the International Energy Agency, and we have deputy secretaries general here. We have teams from the UN, everyone who have contributed in this process. Of course, you know, as Turkey, we have a very successful COP31 process together with Australia. And we identified objectives and we wish to achieve them. So I would like to thank all of our partners and all of my best regards to everyone here. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Mr. Minister.

Thank you very much, Mr. Minister.

Now I go to the COP 31, President of Negotiations, Her Excellency, Khushla Munro, please.

Thank you, Dr. Barrow. And if I can, I also just wanted to acknowledge the First Lady of Turkey. It is a great honor to have you with us today. And thank you all for joining us at this critical moment for global climate and energy action. This year has crystallized a truth. Accelerating the energy transition is necessary to combat shocks to our energy systems, our economies, and our planet. And I recall at the first political meeting this year hosted by Minister Carsten in Berlin, the Petersburg Dialogue, shortly after the shocks that we were seeing through the Strait of Hormuz, just how critical these issues have been to come together as part of the climate and energy debates this year. As Dr. Barrow has said, today, but he was saying this back in March, this really is one of the biggest energy shocks in our history, more severe than both the oil shocks of the 1970s, and we are still managing its impacts. It has reinforced an important lesson from those past crises, that dependency of volatile supply chains can be a point of vulnerability. and those crises that kindled the early development of the renewable industries. Today, those technologies are proven cheap and scalable, and they offer an alternative to dependency. Homegrown clean energy represents a way to tackle climate action by reducing emissions. But in our uncertain times, it is also an energy security asset and a source of economic growth. In this way, climate action and energy security are increasingly aligned. And that is particularly true in the case of electrification, which is a complement to renewables. Electrifying our economies is emerging as one of the most practical and cost-effective ways to strengthen energy security, expand access to modern energy services, and reduce emissions at the same time. We know that for industry, electrification can reduce exposure to fuel price volatility and supply disruptions. For households, it can mean cleaner air, improved efficiency, and very importantly, lower energy costs. For transport, it is already transforming markets, with one in every four new cars sold globally now electric. And for remote communities around the world, electrification offers improved access to energy, clean cooking, and many other benefits. By replacing imported fossil fuels with domestically generated electricity, particularly from renewable sources, countries can reduce vulnerability to these global energy shocks. Well, this is all part of how we improve productivity, competitiveness, and economic resilience. The evidence points in the same direction. And I also am very pleased of the launch of the IEA's special report on electrification here today. Again, I want to thank the IEA and Dr. Barrol for their timely and rigorous work. The last point that I wanted to make is about the partnership that we have with the Pacific. And it is always an excellent reminder that these solutions, when we talk about energy and climate, have to be for all. And very pleased that new initiatives are being rolled out, such as the 100% Renewables Initiative launched by Palau at the recent Pacific Island Leaders Forum. And it is those sorts of solutions and initiatives that we're very pleased that we'll be having the pre-COP in Fiji and Tuvalu in just a couple of weeks. And again, it is in that spirit of the stewardship of Te Kia that we very much look forward to welcoming you to our part of the world as well. Thank you.

Very many thanks to Australia and Mrs. Munro. Now, dear colleagues, our host, United Nations, may I now turn to Mr. Sylvain Hart, who is a special advisor to the Secretary General on climate change. Very many thanks for all your efforts, Mr. Hart. Over to you, please.

Thank you so much, my friend, Dr. Baral, Minister Karum, Madam First Lady, Excellencies, colleagues, ministers, welcome to the United Nations. It's your home, but nevertheless, welcome. And I can't agree more with colleagues that we're really at a moment of truth, but also a moment of opportunity. This COP marks the first year of the second decade of implementation of the Paris Agreement. And we should not underestimate how much has changed over the course of the first decade of the Paris Agreement. When one looks at all of the key technologies from solar, wind, storage, electric vehicles, record after record, year after year, has been broken. And these are not marginal changes. These are evidence of a structural shift in the global energy system. And even in countries where policies have turned against clean energy, deployment continues to break records. The economics are increasingly compelling, and markets are telling us where the future lies. But we know that we've still not moved fast enough. And thus far, the transition has not been a fair transition. So the first decade of Paris laid the foundation, and the second gives us the opportunity to accelerate clean energy deployment on a scale that the world has never seen before. And the case for doing so has only become stronger and more urgent. The conflict in the Middle East has once again exposed the vulnerability of energy systems heavily reliant on fossil fuels. And three out of every four persons live in countries that import them and are exposed to supply disruptions and prices that they cannot control. So, weaning the world off of fossil fuels in a just, fair, and equitable manner as you agreed to at COP28, is not only necessary to protect the planet, it is increasingly necessary to protect our economies. And after the first decade of the Paris Agreement, thanks to the IEA and the experience of major clean energy markets like China, India, and the European Union, we have a much clearer playbook for what works the scale that is possible, and the challenges that need to be managed. So as we head into this second decade, I suggest that we focus on four priorities. First, setting very clear policy direction. And as you respond to today's fossil fuel crisis, I urge you not to create fossil fuel lock-in over the long term. Second, infrastructure. We know how to generate cheap, clean electricity. The challenge is increasingly moving, storing, and using it. We need a step change in investments in grids and storage. And third is on finance. The second decade cannot repeat the investment patterns of the first. And over the course of the first decade, emerging and developing countries outside of China who represent two-thirds of the world's population, received only one out of every $5 invested in clean energy. And Africa, with a fifth of the world's population, receives 2% of clean energy investment, as 600 million persons in Africa still lack access to electricity. So as we look at global goals on electricity, energy access must be central to this. And I know my colleague, Damilola, from Sustainable Energy for All under the Mission 300 initiative is working hard on this. But these economies, two-thirds of the world's population, this is where future population growth, energy demand, and economic dynamism will be concentrated. So getting capital flowing and expanding energy access, creating jobs and industries, this must be our task in the second decade of the Paris Agreement. And we know the playbook. We need to lower the cost of capital, use MDBs and public finance more effectively, and mobilize private investments at scale. And fourth and finally, we need to strengthen international cooperation on finance, technology, supply chains, critical minerals, and trade. Countries with a vested interest in a fast and fair transition need to work together to address their differences. As difficult as these differences are, you need to work together to address these differences. Clean energy investments exceed $2 trillion annually. If we get this right, this opportunity, that opportunity can grow many times over. So rather than fight over slices of today's pie, I urge you to work together to grow that pie. Excellencies, the last decade showed us what was possible and gave us a playbook that works. The fast now is to take it to scale faster, more fairly, and across every single region of the world. COP31 comes, as everyone has said, at this really critical juncture, and it must send a very clear and unambiguous signal that the energy transition is unstoppable, it is irreversible, and that international cooperation will be deployed to ensure we address the barriers and seize the opportunities of the clean energy revolution. You can be assured that the United Nations, we will continue to play a role, not only in convening, as we are with the IEA, as we always do, but in supporting developing countries to address the barriers. And our colleagues from UNDP, UNOPS, the regional commissions, Sustainable Energy for All, UNIDO, we're all working together to support developing countries address these challenges and seize the opportunities. So we look forward to continuing this excellent partnership, and we intend to use COP31 as a launchpad into the second decade of implementation of the Paris Agreement. Thank you.

Many thanks, dear Selvin. Dear colleagues, if you allow me, I will say a few words in Turkish, if I may.

First of all, Her Excellency, the First Lady, Emine Ardan, thank you for gracing this meeting with your presence. Esteemed participants, as the Minister have mentioned, important on the environment and the economies. Upon the suggestion of Minister Kurum and working together with his team, especially with the COP31 CEO, Deputy Minister Fatma Varank, we are working on a report exploring whether if we can reduce waste by 50% within 10 years, how would the impact be? globally. So we will work on it and we will be gifting this report to Her Excellency, Emine Erdogan, and we will be declaring this in Antalya. We know that the First Lady serves as a chair of the UN Secretary General's Advisory Board of Eminent Persons on Zero Waste. Now, if you allow me, I would like to give the floor to you. Thank you.