This summer’s heatwaves and other climate events have provided another stark reminder of the dangers of climate change – and the importance of a common approach to slowing down global warming. Copernicus figures highlight the continued upward trend in temperatures, with latest numbers showing that August 2026 was the world’s hottest month ever (equal with July 2023).
Major shifts have taken place internationally since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015 to limit global warming. Today, the global clean energy transition is firmly underway and has become an engine for competitiveness, resilience and prosperity. For every €1 invested in fossil fuels worldwide, €2 are invested in clean energy, according to 2025 findings by the International Energy Agency.
As the impacts of climate change affect people around the world more and more, countries need to work together. Strong international cooperation, clear rules, and diplomacy are essential, with the United Nations playing a central role.
In this regard, the EU remains a reliable, predictable, and credible global partner, committed to finding shared solutions to common challenges and helping to lead the fight.
Guided by science, the EU is delivering on our commitments and will continue to do so. In broad terms, we have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 37% since 1990, while growing our economy by 71%. Figures show that the EU now produces only 6% of global greenhouse gas emissions, a figure which is proportionate to our share in world’s population.
Furthermore, the EU is the biggest climate finance contributor in the world. It invested €338 billion into clean energy in 2025 – a 132% increase since 2015 – equivalent to 18% of global clean energy investment, according to IEA figures.
As the next meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) approaches, it is important to remember why efforts must continue globally to both cut emissions and scale up finance.
Electrify Now
Ahead of COP31 in Antalya, the COP31 Presidency has proposed raising the share of global final energy demand met by electricity from just over 20% today to 35% by 2035. This reflects the growing recognition that clean electrification is central not only to climate action, but also to energy security, economic resilience and industrial competitiveness.
Against this backdrop, the Commission and international partners launched Electrify Now during the London Climate Action Week in June 2026.
The initiative brings together governments, industry and, in its next phase, international financial institutions and multilateral development banks to accelerate practical cooperation, investment and implementation. Over an initial 3-year period, Electrify Now will facilitate policy exchanges, showcase replicable national and regional approaches and help mobilise investment. Its work covers the expansion of clean electricity and resilient supply chains; grids, storage and system flexibility; and the electrification of industry, transport and buildings. By maintaining cooperation across successive COP Presidencies, the initiative aims to sustain implementation momentum towards the second Global Stocktake at COP33 – a stocktaking exercise every 5 years, as required by the Paris Agreement.
Its first-mover coalition includes the Commission, Brazil (COP30 Presidency), Türkiye and Australia (COP31 Presidency), Ethiopia (COP32 Presidency), Canada, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom. The International Energy Agency, the International Renewable Energy Agency and the industry network of the Global Renewables Alliance offer valuable analytical support to the initiative.
Importantly, Electrify Now is an open and voluntary cooperation platform. Additional governments have since joined or are engaging with it to increase its impact. Participation does not require governments to endorse or formally commit to the COP31 Presidency’s proposed 35% electrification target. Rather, the initiative supports the overall direction of travel: accelerating clean electrification in ways that reflect different national circumstances, priorities and starting points.
From London to New York and Antalya
The next major milestone will be the Global Renewables Summit 2026 during Climate Week NYC in September 2026. The Summit will place Electrify Now at the centre of discussions on delivering renewable-powered electrification. It will include a high-level leaders’ dialogue on delivering Electrify Now (Executive Vice President Teresa Ribera will represent the European Commission), followed by discussions on implementation and the grid infrastructure needed for an increasingly electrified global economy.
At COP31 in Antalya, the EU will continue to advocate faster implementation of the energy outcomes of the first Global Stocktake. This includes accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems, tripling global renewable energy capacity and doubling the global rate of energy-efficiency improvement by 2030, while expanding grids, storage and other enabling infrastructure. The European Commission is working with the COP31 Presidency to organise a World Leaders Roundtable on Electrification, to be preceded by a meeting at ministerial level.
Cutting methane emissions
According to the International Energy Agency, methane concentrations have been rising more quickly than any other major greenhouse gas, and faster than any period since record keeping began. The second greatest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide, methane traps heat in the atmosphere even more strongly than carbon dioxide, making it an important focus area of the global energy transition.
The Global Methane Pledge, which the EU co-launched at COP26 in 2021 aims to slash methane emissions by 30% by 2030.
Despite considerable progress since the pledge was launched, more work is required. Alongside Canada, who took over from the U.S. as co-convenor of the pledge in 2025, the Commission continues to lead the outreach efforts. Most recently, in June 2026, the EU and Canada welcomed the Call to Action on methane by the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, which serves as a blueprint towards the 2030 target.
Strengthening the EU’s energy security
A major advantage of the global energy transition for Europe is a more secure energy supply – replacing expensive and volatile fossil fuel imports with clean and affordable homegrown energy.
The potential of renewable energy and energy efficiency as energy security solutions is exemplified by the EU’s REPowerEU plan to permanently phase-out Russian fossil fuel imports. In 2022, Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and attempted weaponisation of Europe’s energy supply brought the EU’s over-reliance on Russian oil and gas imports into sharp focus. Since then, under REPowerEU, the EU has made significant progress on eliminating Russian fossil fuel imports, not only by engaging with global partners to diversify suppliers and deepen trade relations, but also through accelerating renewable energy and energy efficiency measures.
Meanwhile, the EU Energy and Raw Materials Platform draws on the collective strength of the EU-27 by pooling demand, empowering European companies in effectively procuring energy related products and raw materials.
Compared to 2021 – the last year before the Ukraine conflict – EU imports of Russian coal, gas and oil have fallen dramatically. For example gas imports from Russia have fallen from more than 150 billion cubic metres in 2021 to 36 bcm in 2025. At the same time, the EU has deployed renewables at record speed, with wind and solar generation increasing by more than 50% in the last 5 years. Wind and solar energy now provide 31% of the EU’s electricity, overtaking fossil fuels.
Ensuring EU competitiveness and Europe’s fair share of clean tech
To capture a fair share of global clean technology markets and make sure that EU clean tech businesses are globally competitive, European business and investors need predictability and certainty. Supporting the EU’s move away from a fossil-fuelled economy and our ambition to be climate neutral by 2050, the Clean Industrial Deal is the EU’s plan for competitiveness and decarbonisation. It tackles the main hurdles slowing down our businesses including improving access to affordable energy, materials and resources, increasing public and private investments, developing lead markets, improving skills and creating quality jobs.
In more international terms, through the Global Gateway the EU is investing in both mitigation and climate resilience, as well as in clean energy. This initative adds further support towards achieving globally both the Sustainable Development Goals and commitments of the Paris Agreement on climate change. It promotes green technology exchanges and reinforces energy security.
Europe’s message is clear
The EU’s message to our global partners is clear: we are working to fulfil the goals set out in the Paris Agreement; we are a reliable partner that plays by the rules; and we are open to cooperation.
