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HOMEF faults COP31 electrification pledge, demands binding fossil fuel phase-out – EnviroNews
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The Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has criticised the early proceedings of the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, accusing world leaders of prioritising diplomatic compromises over concrete action to address the climate crisis.
The environmental organisation expressed concern that discussions during the first three days of the conference had failed to adequately address the root causes of climate change, particularly continued dependence on fossil fuels.
In a statement, HOMEF’s Executive Director, Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, described the negotiations as a critical moment for global climate action, warning that the growing impacts of climate change, energy market instability and energy poverty were consequences of an economic system heavily dependent on fossil fuels.
The organisation particularly faulted the COP31 Presidency’s flagship announcement on Energy Day, known as the “35×35” electrification pledge, which seeks to increase electricity’s share of total energy consumption to 35 per cent by 2035.
While acknowledging the importance of electrification in the energy transition, HOMEF argued that the initiative would achieve little climate benefit if the additional electricity continued to come from fossil fuel sources.
It insisted that the pledge must be tied to a clear commitment to renewable energy, particularly community-managed energy systems, to ensure that increased electricity consumption does not contribute to further greenhouse gas emissions.
HOMEF also questioned the transparency surrounding the initiative, expressing concern over the absence of a clear list of countries supporting the pledge.
According to the organisation, the lack of clarity raises questions about the level of political commitment behind the announcement and the influence of oil and gas interests on the negotiations.
Bassey accused fossil fuel-producing countries of obstructing efforts to secure stronger language requiring a transition away from coal, oil and gas.
“The first three days in Antalya have felt like watching a slow-motion dance where the music is the siren call of our burning planet, yet the dancers, our leaders, refuse to change their steps,” he said.
He argued that electrification targets would not address the climate crisis unless governments also committed to ending dependence on fossil fuel-generated electricity.
“We cannot electrify our way out of a climate crisis while we continue to pour oil and gas into the destruction engine,” Bassey added.
The HOMEF director called on COP31 delegates to adopt a definitive and binding commitment to phase out fossil fuels, insisting that voluntary transition roadmaps were insufficient to deliver climate justice.
He said meaningful climate action required governments to demonstrate the political courage to halt fossil fuel extraction and prioritise the protection of vulnerable communities and ecosystems over corporate profits.
“For HOMEF, the core issue is the dangerous reliance on voluntary, non-binding roadmaps. The climate catastrophe does not negotiate with industry lobbyists, nor does it respect the timelines of corporate balance sheets,” the organisation stated.
The foundation also called for the Belém-Antalya Mechanism (BAM) to be strengthened into an enforceable framework capable of translating previously agreed climate principles, rights and historical responsibilities into concrete action.
It maintained that the mechanism should go beyond serving as a platform for exchanging climate information and should establish effective measures to ensure countries fulfil their climate obligations.
On climate finance, HOMEF expressed concern over the increasing reliance on loans to fund mitigation and adaptation programmes in developing countries.
It argued that loans, particularly those carrying interest, further increase the debt burden of countries that have contributed least to global greenhouse gas emissions but are among the most vulnerable to climate impacts.
The organisation therefore called for climate finance to be provided primarily through grants and public funding directed towards genuine mitigation and adaptation needs rather than projects that serve private commercial interests under the guise of green investment.
Looking ahead to the 2028 Global Stocktake, HOMEF warned that the time available for meaningful intervention was rapidly diminishing.
It urged governments to use COP31 to establish a transparent and equitable pathway for phasing out coal, oil and gas, rather than continuing to rely on long-term voluntary commitments.
The organisation stressed that the transition must begin immediately and be guided by equity, climate justice and the protection of vulnerable communities and the natural environment.
“We are not interested in promises for 2050; we are demanding a transparent, equity-based phase-out of coal, oil, and gas starting today,” HOMEF declared.
