Five Nations Endorse Rooftop Solar Declaration for 300M Homes at COP31

• Bangladesh, Kenya, Nigeria, Palau and Vanuatu endorsed the Global Rooftop Solar Declaration at COP31 in Antalya on Nov. 10.
• The voluntary text targets 300 million solar homes by 2030, double the roughly 150 million today.
• Australia signed first in October; the declaration stays open to national, state and city governments.

Bangladesh, Kenya, Nigeria, Palau and Vanuatu endorsed the Global Rooftop Solar Declaration at the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Türkiye, on Nov. 10. They joined Australia behind a goal of 300 million solar homes worldwide by 2030, the Global Solar Council said in a statement.

The declaration is voluntary and non-binding. Signatories pledge to work together toward at least 300 million households powered by rooftop solar, through faster permits, cheaper finance, grid upgrades, fair access and installer training. Each government picks its own solar policy measures. Beyond the six national governments, 34 members of parliament from 21 countries signed individually, and Indonesia's state utility PT PLN endorsed the text at COP31.

Australia was the first country to back it. Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen, who is also COP31 President of Negotiations, endorsed the declaration at the Pacific Pre-COP meeting in Fiji on Oct. 8, according to the council. About 150 million homes have rooftop solar today, the council estimates, so the goal means doubling that number in roughly four years.

The declaration in numbers

• 300 million homes powered by rooftop solar by 2030, against about 150 million today.
• 6 national governments now endorse the text: Australia plus five at COP31.
• 34 members of parliament from 21 countries endorsed it individually.
• 37.5 million homes a year, or about 103,000 a day, to add 150 million in four years (list.solar calculation).
• 5,500 MW of rooftop solar is Bangladesh's 2030 target, across about 870,000 rooftops, or roughly 6.3 kW each (list.solar calculation).
• 42% of global PV additions in 2025–2030 will come from distributed systems, the IEA forecasts.

Bangladesh gave the most detailed plan. Under a proposed 20:80 split between domestic and international money, about 174,000 rooftops would be funded at home and 696,000 would need outside support, said Mirana Mahrukh, secretary of the Power Division. In Nigeria, decentralized solar has brought electricity to 5.3 million people, the council said.

"Many countries have the sunshine, the space and the demand, but lack the finance, infrastructure and workforce needed to unlock this opportunity," Bowen said. He put household solar on one in three Australian homes.

The declaration stays open to national, state, provincial and city governments. The council called on every government to sign; it did not say which countries are next or how progress will be tracked.