Executive Director of IEA: China's role in clean energy is indisputable

　　By Wu Xinru

(ECNS)--China has taken pioneering steps on the track of electrification, and its role in clean energy is indisputable, said Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Birol shared the views in a speech centering on the global electrification transition at the side event Ecological Civilization and Beautiful China Practice staged at the China Pavilion on Tuesday in Antalya, Türkiye.

The side event is held on the sidelines of the 31st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31). It is jointly hosted by the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and China News Service, with the Policy Research Center for Environment and Economy of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and China News Network serving as co-organizers.

The world is entering the age of electricity, and China has delivered remarkable results

In his remarks, Birol restated a judgment he put forward two years ago: the world is entering the electric age.

In his view, advancing electrification brings multiple benefits. It is good for the economy, energy security, climate action and air quality. He called on countries to work toward consensus on electrification targets.

In this transition, Birol spoke highly of China's pioneering efforts. He said China has made major headway across multiple areas, including electric vehicles, renewable energy and battery storage and it boasts strong industrial chains in hydropower, solar, wind, battery storage and clean fuels.

During his visit to China last September, he held talks with Chinese government officials and visited Tsinghua University. He was deeply impressed by the rapid pace of innovation both at the university and across the country.

"China has shown the way to the world. And I can tell you that China's role in clean energy is indisputable."

Energy pressures accelerate transition: Three trends reshape the global energy landscape

Drawing on global energy market developments over the past eight to nine months, Birol outlined three core trends shaping the global energy transition.

First, renewable energy is growing strongly. Renewables had already been expanding, and recent energy pressures have further accelerated their deployment, pushing growth higher.

Second, the electric vehicle market is expanding rapidly. Excluding China, electric vehicle sales in the rest of the world rose by 60 percent. That means the electric mobility wave is no longer limited to Europe and China, and the trend is also visible in markets across Australia, Brazil, Thailand, Vietnam and many more countries, Birol noted.

Third, energy efficiency is receiving a stronger boost. Combined growth in renewables, electric vehicles and efficiency gains makes him optimistic about delivering global electrification targets.

Birol said global energy stresses have pushed many countries to speed up electrification, with more nations embracing the electricity-led transition path.

A call for consensus to send clear signals for transition

In his speech, Birol called on the nearly 200 countries gathered in Antalya to reach agreement on electrification targets.

He stressed that sending the clear message "the future is electric" from the COP31 venue would deliver an unmistakable signal to global markets and investors.

He noted that capital flows into clean energy largely because investors expect solid commercial returns.

Once a consensus is reached, investors will have clarity on where to deploy their funds.