Crisis in the Middle East – Reliance on fossil fuels is a weakness, renewable energy is a bulwark against volatility

The Strait of Hormuz in the region – through which a fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies pass – has been closed to maritime traffic since the conflict erupted more than a month ago between the United States, Israel and Iran.

Supply disruptions have reduced access to the fossil fuels countries need to produce energy, causing prices to rise and turmoil in global markets.

The United Nations confirms that the suffocation resulting from the almost complete closure of the Strait highlights a fundamental issue that energy security is no longer limited to the availability of supplies only, but also includes the ability to withstand and find alternative energy sources in an increasingly turbulent and unstable world.

Why is this important?

Concern about the use of fossil fuels has traditionally been linked to climate change, due to the warming effects caused by gases released when these fuels are burned; However, the focus has now shifted more towards the issue of energy security.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said earlier this year that “In this age of war, our addiction to fossil fuels is destabilizing both climate and global security“.

Impact of war

Since the outbreak of war in the Middle East, it has become increasingly clear that:

🔹Vital oil and gas supplies are concentrated in conflict-prone areas.

🔹Transportation routes could be disrupted as a result of military escalation.

🔹Price fluctuations spread quickly to various economies.

The big picture

As countries continue to rely on fossil fuels to meet the daily needs of their citizens and drive economic growth, it has become clear that they are more vulnerable than ever to sudden supply interruptions.

In light of the increasing demand for energy, establishing stable and strategic relations with other countries with the aim of ensuring the continuity of energy supplies has become extremely important.

In February this year, the Secretary-General said that “Three-quarters of humanity live in countries that are net importers of fossil fuels, and depend on energy that they do not control, and at prices they cannot predict.“.

He also warned of the danger of depleting development budgets in favor of fuel bills, with those budgets always at the mercy of geopolitical turmoil and supply interruptions, stressing that “We must stop treating the transition away from fossil fuels as if it were a taboo“.

The promise of renewable energy

One solution to protect against the crises and chaos resulting from the difficulty of accessing fossil fuels is to shift towards renewable energy sources. Such as solar energy, wind energy, and hydroelectric energy. These sources offer a fundamentally different model of energy provision, characterized by greater accessibility and potentially lower cost.

Renewable energy is often locally sourced and produced within national borders, and is therefore less vulnerable to global disruptions that geopolitical crises may spark.

Simon Steele, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, stressed earlier this year that “Renewable energy represents the clearest and least expensive path to achieving energy security and sovereignty, as it protects countries and their economies from shocks resulting from wars, trade disturbances, and ‘imposition of force’ policies that ultimately only result in the impoverishment of all countries.”.

A path that has already begun

The transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy has already begun.

Kenya, located in East Africa, has become a world leader in the field of renewable energy, especially geothermal energy. It generates the vast majority of its electrical needs from renewable sources.

Chile, a South American country, is also one of the fastest growing renewable energy markets in the world. It abandoned coal power generation and instead moved towards expanding the use of solar and wind energy, taking advantage of the favorable natural conditions that characterize areas such as the Atacama Desert.

India, in turn, focused on expanding the infrastructure for solar and wind energy, and worked to integrate renewable energy sources into its national development strategies and the transition towards electricity, although it still relies heavily on oil and gas that are usually transported through the Strait of Hormuz coming from countries overlooking the Gulf.

The power of peoples

Although energy security is a growing geopolitical issue for sovereign nations to address, it is also a deeply personal issue; It affects the lives of families and individuals around the world, as people face high energy bills and a general rise in the cost of living.

According to the United Nations, renewable energy sources are often less expensive than coal, oil or gas, which can directly contribute to reducing electricity costs incurred by households.

Renewable energy sources can also protect residents from future price rises, by providing more stable and cheaper energy directly to local communities.