Fortum participates in COP31 with a focus on electrification

From climate commitments to implementation

COP31 will focus on translating climate commitments into concrete action and investment. With record-high temperatures and increased natural catastrophes in 2026, the urgency of climate action is increasingly clear. UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report, published in October, highlights a shift in the debate: the question is no longer whether we can avoid exceeding 1.5°C, but by how much and for how long we will exceed that threshold—and how quickly we can bring temperatures back down.

Also the EU wants COP31 to mark a step change from commitments to delivery, accelerating implementation of the Paris Agreement and closing both the ambition and implementation gaps. The Council conclusions setting out the EU's main negotiating position for COP31 and the Parliament’s COP31 resolution have recently been approved, and they include advancing the clean energy transition and the transition away from fossil fuels through coordinated international action.

One of the COP Presidency's headline priorities is the clean energy transition and electrification, explicitly connecting emissions reductions with energy security, affordability and sustainable development.

Electrification at the heart of climate action

Fortum’s strategic aims fit extremely well with the COP31 agenda and the EU’s priorities for the conference. In Fortum’s view, effective carbon pricing, accelerated electrification and investment in low-carbon energy are critical to turning climate commitments into emissions reductions while strengthening competitiveness and energy security.

Electrification is at the heart of the energy transition. Accelerating direct electrification with low-carbon electricity is one of the most effective ways to replace fossil fuels across industry, transport and buildings. Effective carbon pricing should become a cornerstone of global climate action. It creates a technology-neutral incentive to reduce emissions while strengthening the business case for clean investment and electrification. 

Fortum’s event at COP31

Fortum’s event “Powering industrial investment: Finland’s energy advantage” will be held at the Finland Pavilion Finland Pavilion - External link in the Blue Zone on 11 November at 1–2 pm. The session will highlight Finland’s competitive advantages as a destination for energy-intensive investment. It will explore how low-carbon electricity, a stable operating environment and cooperation between government, energy companies and industrial customers can turn investment opportunities into concrete projects. Fortum’s representatives will be also speaking and joining as panelists at other events of COP31.