On June 23 (local time in the UK), the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE, Minister Kim Sungwhan) joined the launch of the “Electrify Now” initiative at the Global Energy Transition and Electrification Summit (GETES*) held in London, UK.

The event was held during London Climate Action Week, the world’s largest private-sector-led climate event, and brought together governments, international organizations, and industry representatives to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation on climate and energy.

“Electrify Now” is a global cooperation platform aimed at strengthening energy security and accelerating the clean energy transition by expanding electrification in the industrial, building, and transport sectors, while also scaling up power grids, energy storage systems, and clean energy deployment. Participants in the initiative’s launch included the European Union (EU); Brazil, the COP30 Presidency; Australia and Turkiye, the COP31 Presidencies; Ethiopia, the COP32 Presidency; the United Kingdom, Canada, Barbados, and the Philippines; as well as the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Korea joined the initiative at the EU’s request following a bilateral meeting between the EU Commissioner for Energy and the Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment during the President’s EU summit trip.

In a joint statement, participating countries agreed on three key areas of cooperation: sharing best practices on electrification and strengthening country-level implementation plans; advancing policy and regulatory cooperation to expand investment in power grids, energy storage, and renewable energy; and providing financial and technical support to strengthen energy resilience in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs).

Amid growing instability in the Middle East and rising volatility in energy prices, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and expanding electrification is emerging as a key strategy for both energy security and achieving carbon neutrality. Against this backdrop, the initiative is expected to help elevate electrification to the center of the global energy agenda.

Lee Chang-hoon, Co-Chair of Korea’s Presidential Commission on Climate Crisis Response, represented Korea at the launch event for “Electrify Now,” where he expressed the country’s commitment to expanding electrification and accelerating the clean energy transition, and formally conveyed Korea’s intention to join the initiative.

Minister Kim Sungwhan of the MCEE said, “Recent geopolitical developments have once again shown that accelerating electrification is essential not only for achieving climate goals, but also for strengthening energy security and enhancing economic resilience.” He added, “We will work with the international community to promote the expansion of electrification, grid innovation, and the deployment of clean energy, while actively participating in global discussions aimed at advancing energy security and carbon neutrality.”

Meanwhile, the government plans to continue international cooperation on electrification by actively participating in follow-up events later this year, including the High-level Summit during Climate Week at the UN General Assembly in September and the COP31 leaders-level session on electrification in November.

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