Find CLASP at COP31

This November, climate leaders from around the world will gather in Antalya, Türkiye, for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31). CLASP experts will be on the ground to discuss the importance of energy efficiency for some of the most pressing climate challenges and opportunities of our time: electrification, green industrialization, and adaptation.

Electrification:

• As households, institutions, and businesses shift from fossil fuels to electricity, energy efficiency can help make the transition both achievable and attractive.
• Efficient electric appliances and equipment reduce operating costs, making electrification more affordable while giving consumers confidence in the reliability and value of electric alternatives.
• They also help manage growing electricity demand, easing pressure on power systems and reducing the need for additional generation and grid infrastructure.
• Linking electrification targets and programs with energy efficiency policies could help accelerate the shift to electricity.

Green industrialization:

• Electric motors power the pumps, fans, and compressors that keep factories and industrial processes running.
• Improving the efficiency of these systems can reduce industrial energy use, emissions, and operating costs. But policies often focus on individual components, such as the motor, rather than how the motor and the equipment it drives work together. This misses opportunities for greater energy savings across entire industrial processes.
• Countries including Nigeria and China are already advancing this agenda.

Adaptation:

• As extreme heat intensifies and threatens people’s food security and livelihoods, efficient appliances are a critical part of the solution.
• Fans and air conditioners help protect people from dangerous heat, while refrigerators preserve food, reduce crop losses, and support farmers and small businesses.
• By making these essential services more affordable and less energy-intensive, efficient appliances help communities build resilience without straining electric grids or worsening climate change.
• Adaptation plans and finance should recognize these technologies as essential infrastructure for climate resilience.

CLASP experts attending COP31 include:

• Bishal Thapa (Chief of Impact & Strategy), a global expert on energy, climate, and sustainability. He can speak to the critical role of appliance efficiency in accelerating decarbonization strategies as energy demand grows and shaping private-sector investments to drive climate progress.

• Ana Maria Carreño (Senior Director of Climate), a global expert in appliance efficiency policy, diplomacy, and sustainable cooling. She leads CLASP’s international efforts to advance the market share of high-impact, efficient appliances like air conditioners and electric motors. As temperatures rise and cooling demand surges, Ana Maria is a resource on how to expand access to cooling without driving up emissions.

• Lauren Boucher (Senior Manager of Research), who leads CLASP’s research across the organization’s climate and clean energy access portfolios. She authored CLASP’s recent report about efficient appliances’ potential to support climate change adaptation and resilience.

If you’re interested in connecting with a CLASP expert or would like them to speak at or attend your events, please contact Marina Baur at mbaur@clasp.ngo.