300+ Global Businesses and Organizations Urge COP31 Presidency to Put Energy Efficiency at the Heart of Action Agenda

Coalition spanning 39 countries and territories calls for greater investment and public-private collaboration to advance energy efficiency across COP31 priorities.

ANTALYA, TÜRKIYE — More than 300 businesses and organizations representing 39 countries and territories are calling on the COP31 Presidency of Türkiye and Australia to put energy efficiency at the center of efforts to deliver on the conference’s Action Agenda.

In a joint letter released at COP31, the global coalition outlines five strategic principles demonstrating how proven energy efficiency technologies, financing and demand-side solutions can strengthen energy security, improve affordability, reduce waste, support resilient infrastructure and create quality jobs.

The letter calls for energy efficiency to be integrated across the COP31 Action Agenda goals on waste reduction, electrification and building energy intensity, and underscores the private sector’s readiness to work with governments to accelerate investment and deployment.

The initiative is convened by Alliance to Save Energy (ASE), Association of Energy Engineers (AEE), Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE), Efficiency Canada 和 European Alliance to Save Energy. Signatories represent a diverse range of businesses, industry associations and supporting organizations across six continents.

Five Principles for Accelerating Energy Efficiency

The letter outlines five strategic principles to guide public-private sector action:

• Energy security: Strengthening energy security, economic competitiveness and energy access through reduced energy needs and more efficient energy systems.
• Affordability and competitiveness: Deploying proven technologies, equipment and financing solutions to manage rising energy demand, lower costs and support economic growth.
• Reducing waste: Cutting energy, water and economic losses across local economies and global supply chains.
• Resilient infrastructure, buildings and cities: Investing in efficient infrastructure that improves reliability, reduces emissions and delivers health, safety and productivity benefits.
• Jobs and a just transition: Stimulating investment, creating quality local jobs and developing the skilled workforce needed to accelerate an inclusive energy transition.

Turning Global Commitments into Action

At COP28, governments committed to doubling the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030. Yet progress remains well below the pace needed to meet that goal.

With just four years remaining, the coalition is calling for accelerated investment, stronger public-private collaboration and the deployment of energy efficiency solutions already available in the market. The COP31 Action Agenda offers an opportunity to translate this global commitment into practical action across energy systems, buildings, industries and communities.

“COP31 is an opportunity to put energy efficiency and demand-side solutions at the center of the global implementation agenda. Investing in energy efficiency is one of the fastest, most cost-effective ways to strengthen energy security, meet growing energy demand and accelerate decarbonization,” said Lisa Jacobson, President of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy.

“Energy efficiency is foundational to a secure, affordable and competitive energy future. By using energy more productively, we can reduce waste, strengthen energy system reliability and help communities and businesses manage rising costs. COP31 is an opportunity to accelerate the investment and partnerships needed to deploy these solutions at scale,” said Paula Glover, President and CEO of the Alliance to Save Energy.

“As electrification, artificial intelligence and data centers drive rising energy demand, efficiency is essential to economic competitiveness, affordability and energy security. Pairing ambitious energy efficiency measures with accelerated renewable-based electrification can help countries manage costs, strengthen energy systems and accelerate progress toward their climate goals,” said Mario Giordano, Global Head of Public and Government Affairs at Signify and Chairman of the European Alliance to Save Energy.

“Meeting rising electricity demand affordably will take more than building new supply,” said Corey Diamond, Executive Director of Efficiency Canada. “Energy efficiency can lower bills, reduce pressure on costly new infrastructure and free up capacity to electrify more of the economy. COP31 is an opportunity to accelerate progress toward the global goal of doubling energy efficiency.”

“Energy efficiency is ultimately driven by people, and AEE is committed to ensuring energy professionals have the knowledge, connections and opportunities to turn ambitious goals into meaningful action,” said Bill Kent, Executive Director of the Association of Energy Engineers.

Global Business Community Ready to Deliver

The coalition is calling for stronger collaboration between governments and the private sector to accelerate energy efficiency investment and implementation during COP31 and beyond.

“Metrus is proud to join a global coalition of 300+ businesses, investors, and organizations calling on the COP31 Presidency to recognize energy efficiency as a strategic imperative. A clean, reliable, and secure energy future requires prioritizing investments in demand-side solutions like energy efficiency technology, equipment, and infrastructure,” said Bob Hinkle, Chief Executive Officer of Metrus Energy.

Signatories are committed to developing, financing and deploying solutions that improve energy productivity, strengthen economies and support a more secure, affordable and sustainable energy future.

Throughout COP31, the coalition will highlight examples of energy efficiency solutions being deployed around the world through its “An Energy Efficient World: We’re Ready” series.

Read the full Global Business Energy Efficiency Letter and view the complete list of signatories.

Additional Industry Statements

“Energy efficiency is one of the most powerful and cost-effective tools we have to address climate change, enhance energy security, and accelerate the transition to a sustainable energy future. Doubling the global rate of energy efficiency improvement requires strong collaboration between governments, businesses, and civil society to transform ambition into measurable impact. We support this global commitment because energy efficiency is not only a climate imperative, but also a strategic investment in economic competitiveness, resilience, and sustainability.”
— Ali Korakan, President, Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) Cyprus Chapter, Cyprus

“Energy efficiency must be back at the heart of climate action – one of the most powerful tools for turning climate ambition into tangible results. Its benefits extend beyond energy, supporting more efficient use of other resources and more resilient natural and built infrastructure. Together, public and private sector expertise and efforts across sectors and borders can turn this potential into real, measurable impact while strengthening economic competitiveness, sustainability and security.”
— Filipa Newton, President, Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) Portugal Chapter, Portugal

“ABVIG supports the global call to double the rate of improvement in energy efficiency because energy efficiency is fundamental to Africa’s sustainable industrialisation, energy security, climate resilience and economic competitiveness. Achieving this ambition requires stronger public-private collaboration to mobilise investment, deploy innovative technologies and scale bankable projects that reduce energy waste, lower operating costs and accelerate Africa’s transition towards a more sustainable and inclusive economy.”
— Hon. Moses O. T. Owharo, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Africa Business Ventures & Investment Group (ABVIG); Convenor, Africa Infrastructure, Climate Change & Green Investment Summit (AICIS), Nigeria

“Energy efficiency is critical to today’s business model. In addition to saving money, reducing waste, and maximizing productivity in business operations, efficiency helps companies promote sale and export of their products, services, and expertise to the world.”
— Jeff Marks, Executive Director, ClimateWork Maine, United States

“Doubling energy efficiency requires turning passive energy consumers into active, flexible energy participants. At enjoyelec, we leverage cloud-edge AI and multi-protocol interoperability across HEMS, iEMS and VPP solutions to optimize distributed assets—from solar and storage to heat pumps and EV chargers—empowering users to cut costs while supporting a more resilient grid. We are proud to support this global initiative, as robust public-private collaboration is vital to scaling demand-side flexibility into practical climate impact.”
— Ethan Zhu, CEO, enjoyelec B.V., Netherlands

“At İZGI ENERJI VE KIMYA A.S., we firmly believe that energy efficiency is not merely an operational optimization, but the cornerstone of global industrial decarbonization. By integrating multi-source renewable microgrids, advanced waste heat recovery, and closed-loop process setups, we empower heavy industry to achieve deep emission reductions while maintaining high productivity. As COP31 approaches, scaling these proven energy efficiency solutions is crucial to turning global climate commitments into measurable, real-world action.”
— Huseyin Dinc, Chairman of the Board, İZGI ENERJI VE KIMYA ANONIM ŞIRKETI, Türkiye

“Energy efficiency is the biggest, fastest win we have to cut energy costs, strengthen competitiveness and accelerate climate action, and the technology to deliver those gains is available today. Johnson Controls is proud to support this global call to action because doubling the rate of energy efficiency means putting wasted energy back to work, strengthening our economies and delivering better-performing buildings for people and the planet.”
— Katie McGinty, Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, Johnson Controls, United States

“Energy efficiency is one of the most immediate and cost-effective ways to strengthen industrial competitiveness while accelerating decarbonization. At ACCIONA Energía, we believe doubling the global rate of energy efficiency progress requires moving from ambition to execution, combining technology, innovative financing, and long-term partnerships to deliver measurable economic and environmental results.”
— Ricardo Velázquez Lechuga, President, Mexican Association of Energy Efficiency Companies (AMENEER), and Director of Energy Services – Americas, ACCIONA Energía, Mexico

“biaNergy has to support this letter because it is high-noon now. Every unit of energy count is essential to affordable electrification and business competitiveness. Doubling the global rate of energy efficiency improvement requires governments, industry and innovators to work together to turn ambition into practical, measurable results. For us, the entrepreneurs and inventors, that means advancing how connected devices are powered, with efficiency and reduced material waste built into their design and a battery-less world.”
— Dr. S. Tan Yetgin, CEO, Nicola BV – biaNergy, Netherlands

“At Prisma Vitral Studio, we understand that doubling global energy efficiency is only possible through a data-driven architecture that ensures operational integrity and auditable transparency from day one. By integrating innovative hardware with automated mechanisms for the issuance of carbon credits on-site, we transform every energy decision into an environmental asset shielded for Industry 5.0. We support this global charter because public-private collaboration must be grounded in a smart data infrastructure to successfully accelerate the international climate transition.”
— Daniel Guerra, CEO, Prisma Vitral C.A., Venezuela

“Energy efficiency is one of the most powerful levers for decarbonizing the built environment and industry. Doubling the rate of energy efficiency improvements will help reduce emissions, cut energy waste, enhance building and industry performance, and create new jobs.”
— Dr. Kemal Gani Bayraktar, Vice President, REHVA, Belgium

“It is time to stop seeing ecology as an expensive sacrifice and industry as a profitable polluter. The progress made in efficient solutions finally manages to reconcile the two, allowing to obtain more with less: less energy, less natural resources, less waste, and therefore more profit margin.

“When energy efficiency is seen as an investment rather than a cost, every business, city and household can become an active player in the ecological transition, while benefiting from lower bills, greater security of supply, more competitiveness and a cleaner environment.

“To unlock private investment at scale, we need clear and stable political signals, backed by strong public-private partnerships. By reducing investment risks and providing long-term certainty, policymakers can give businesses and investors the confidence to accelerate the deployment of solutions that are both profitable and sustainable.”
— Bertrand Piccard, Chairman, Solar Impulse Foundation, Switzerland

“Energy efficiency is good for our economy and good for the planet – it’s a win-win!”
— Christopher Schaffner, CEO and Founder, The Green Engineer, Inc., United States

“Doubling the global rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030 is a critical step toward reducing emissions, lowering energy costs, and strengthening resilience. For more than 30 years, energy efficiency has been central to USGBC’s work to create more sustainable buildings and communities, and our LEED standards help building owners around the world achieve measurable improvements in operational performance. We welcome the COP31 Presidency’s leadership, including through the Antalya Compact, in advancing this practical, cost-effective solution to climate change and improving people’s quality of life.”
— Peter Templeton, President and CEO, U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), United States

###

About the Alliance to Save Energy

The Alliance to Save Energy (ASE) is a leading nonprofit, bipartisan coalition of manufacturers, utilities, technology companies, policy advocates and governmental leaders who are committed to advancing the role of energy efficiency in U.S. energy policy, and valuing its contribution to energy affordability, grid reliability, emissions reductions and energy security.

About the Association of Energy Engineers

Founded in 1977, the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) is a global nonprofit professional society dedicated to advancing the energy management profession. With more than 18,500 members and 32,000 active certifications across more than 140 countries, AEE supports energy professionals through internationally recognized certification programs, training, professional development and networking opportunities. AEE equips professionals with the knowledge and skills to improve energy performance, advance energy efficiency and support sustainability efforts across industries worldwide.

About the Business Council for Sustainable Energy

The Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) is a coalition of companies and trade associations that deploy clean energy and decarbonization solutions, with a sector focus on energy efficiency, natural gas, and renewable energy. Members include investor-owned utilities, public power, independent power producers, project developers, technology providers, environmental and energy market service companies, and more. Established in 1992, BCSE has been an accredited observer of the UNFCCC climate negotiations for more than 30 years.

About Efficiency Canada

Efficiency Canada is the national voice for energy efficiency. Our mission is to create a sustainable environment and better life for all Canadians by making our country a global leader in energy efficiency policy, technology, and jobs. Efficiency Canada is housed at Carleton University’s Sustainable Energy Research Centre, which is located on the traditional unceded territories of the Algonquin nation.

About the European Alliance to Save Energy

The European Alliance to Save Energy (EU-ASE) is a business-led, multistakeholder platform allowing leading multinational companies to join environmental campaigners to advance energy efficiency in the European Union. The Alliance’s business members operate across the EU27, employ 246,000 people, and generate an annual turnover of 76 billion EUR in the EU. Membership includes industry leaders ABB, Danfoss, Ecolab, Kingspan, Knauf Insulation, Owens Corning, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Signify, Xylem and leading environmental organizations E3G, ECF and Kyoto Club.

Media Contacts:

Laura Tierney
Vice President, International Programs, BCSE
电子邮件： lt******@**se.org
Phone: +1-202-489-3436 (in Antalya)

Dylan Helms
Communications Manager, BCSE
电子邮件： dh****@**se.org
Phone: +1-727-290-8804 (in Washington, D.C.)