World · Middle East · 8 hrs ago
COP31 electrification pledge raises concerns over mining safeguards
At the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkey, its presidency called on countries to increase electricity’s share of energy use worldwide from 21% to 35% by 2035.
The 35-by-35 pledge is meant to cut greenhouse gas emissions, ideally by using renewable power for transport, buildings and industry.
Meeting the target will require more power lines, batteries and other equipment, which rely on minerals and metals.
Rights and environmental groups warn mining can harm communities and ecosystems, and say governments should strengthen protections across supply chains.
A nonprofit recorded more than 300 human rights allegations linked to transition-mineral mining in 2025, 73% more than the year before.
China’s Vice President Han Zheng urged stronger climate action and international cooperation at the summit, and said China aims for non-fossil sources to provide half its electricity by 2030.
The COP31 presidency’s pledge does not require electricity to come from renewables, and the sources do not specify what safeguards governments will adopt.
The COP31 presidency has promoted a global pledge to raise electricity’s share of energy use from 21% to 35% by 2035.
Turkey and Australia are co-presiding over COP31, with Turkey identifying electrification as a main priority.
Environmental and human rights groups warn that increased mining for transition minerals could harm communities and ecosystems without strong safeguards.
The pledge does not require electricity to come from renewable sources, activists note.
A nonprofit recorded more than 300 human rights allegations linked to transition-mineral mining in 2025, a 73% increase from the previous year.
- Who
- The COP31 presidency, led by Turkey and co-presided with Australia, is promoting the pledge. Environmental and human rights groups are calling for safeguards.
- What
- The 35-by-35 pledge aims to raise electricity’s share of energy use from 21% to 35% by 2035.
- When
- The pledge was presented during COP31 in November 2026.
- Where
- COP31’s leaders’ summit was held in Antalya, Turkey.
- Why
- The pledge aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by increasing electrification. Groups warn that demand for minerals could worsen environmental and human rights harms.
COP31 presidency
Environmental and human rights groups
Purpose of the pledge
COP31 presidency
The 35-by-35 target is intended to expand electrification and reduce planet-warming emissions.
Environmental and human rights groups
The target could drive more mining for transition minerals, increasing risks to people and ecosystems.
Conditions
COP31 presidency
The presidency presented electrification as a way to translate earlier climate pledges into changes in energy use.
Environmental and human rights groups
More than 120 civil society groups called for conditions including ecosystem protection and stronger safeguards across supply chains.
Countries agreed to work toward tripling renewable energy capacity and transitioning away from fossil fuels.
The summit focused on energy storage, grid modernization and climate finance.
COP31 leaders met in Antalya, where China’s Vice President Han Zheng delivered a national statement.
Turkey announced electrification as a main priority of its COP31 co-presidency with Australia.
- Pledge
- Raise electricity use from 21% to 35% by 2035
- Mining allegations
- More than 300 recorded in 2025
- Year-on-year increase
- 73% in transition-mineral mining allegations
- Civil society groups
- More than 120 signed an open letter to the COP31 presidencies
- China’s 2030 target
- Non-fossil electricity generation to reach 50% of total generation
3 sources
What people are saying
This transition brings together renewable energy, strong grids, storage capacity, energy efficiency, clean transport and green industry. Each supports the others,
We want people to feel the results of climate talks in daily life: in buildings that use less energy, in clean public transport, in energy they can afford and in new jobs.
If mining is going to ramp up without proper protections in place, I think we can probably expect to see some of these problems ramp up as well,