Electriciens sans frontières is participating in the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), which is being held in Antalya, Türkiye, from November 9 to 20, 2026. The NGO will participate in three events to highlight the issues of energy access and sustainable electrification. The Turkish presidency has officially placed this issue at the center of the COP31 agenda, which has been billed as a “implementation” conference.
SUSTAINABLE ELECTRIFICATION: A RESPONSE TO CURRENT AND FUTURE CHALLENGES
Electrification is at the heart of the discussions at COP31. The Turkish presidency, which is co-leading the negotiations with Australia, aims to increase the share of electricity in global final energy consumption from 20% to 35% by 2035. This goal must address a twofold challenge: accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy while ensuring that populations still without electricity gain access to reliable and sustainable energy.
For this electrification to fully contribute to the fight against climate change, it must be accompanied by the decarbonization of electricity generation. The 2026 Report on the Gap Between Global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emission Reduction Needs and Prospects, published by the United Nations, is unequivocal: “After decades of insufficient climate action, exceeding the 1.5°C threshold is inevitable” (2026 Emissions Gap Report). The priority now is to limit the extent and duration of this overshoot, in order to return to a trajectory consistent with the 1.5 °C target by the end of the century.
In this context, the development of renewable energy is a key driver. Solar photovoltaics is a concrete example of this. Since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, its deployment has been seven times faster than projected in 2015. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), it is now among the most competitive solutions for generating electricity. Its development thus opens up significant opportunities for decarbonizing electricity generation and accelerating the electrification of regions.
But sustainable electrification is not just about choosing a carbon-free energy source. It also requires managing the environmental footprint of the equipment deployed, taking into account its entire lifecycle, from manufacturing to end of life. For example, the batteries used in photovoltaic systems pose a significant challenge, both in terms of their use and their recycling and end-of-life disposal.
These issues are at the heart of Electriciens sans frontières’ work. The NGO develops electrification solutions tailored to the needs of local communities and the realities of the regions, relying in particular on solar energy, which accounts for more than 96% of the projects it carries out in the countries where it operates. It also works to reduce the environmental impact of its installations and ensure their sustainability, so that they continue to meet the needs of local communities over time.
On the occasion of its eighth participation in the United Nations Climate Change Conference, Electricians Without Borders intends to once again contribute to the discussion on the conditions for sustainable electrification that addresses both climate challenges and the needs of local communities.
THREE EVENTS WHERE YOU CAN MEET ELECTRICIENS SANS FRONTIERES
- November 10 at 10:00 a.m.: Participation in the roundtable discussion “Clean Energy and Electrification: How to Move from Ambitions to Implementation? ” moderated by Nils Pedersen of the UN Global Compact. France, Francophonie Pavilion
- November 10 at 5:00 p.m.: “Powering Tomorrow Together: A Circular Mentorship Café on Skills, Belonging & the Energy Transition” – Schneider Electric Foundation, Children and Youth Pavilion, Wellbeing Corner
- November 10 at 6:00 p.m.: Presentation of the study“Environmental Impact of Batteries for Solar Energy Systems and Their Presence on the Ukrainian Market,” co-hosted with the UN Global Compact at the Ukraine Pavilion
COP31 CONTACT: Tania Chauvin, +33 7 77 85 37 90,
tania.chauvin@electriciens-sans-frontieres.org
PRESS CONTACT: Ophélie Levasseur, +33 6 09 44 70 34,
ophelie.levasseur@electriciens-sans-frontieres.org
