Iran war an ‘abject lesson’ on fossil fuel dependence, UN climate chief says

Published March 16, 2026 Updated March 16, 2026 10:49am

The disruption to energy markets caused by the Iran war is an “abject lesson” in the risks of relying on fossil fuels, and underscores the case for governments to wean their economies off oil and gas, the UN climate secretary will tell EU policymakers today, Reuters reports.

“Fossil fuel dependency is ripping away national security and sovereignty, and replacing it with subservience and rising costs,” Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UN climate change arm UNFCCC, will tell EU officials and government ministers at an event in Brussels.

“Europe is more reliant on fossil fuel imports than almost any other major economy,” Stiell will say, in prepared remarks that warned reliance on fossil fuels was leaving consumers “at the mercy of geopolitical shocks and price volatility”.

Motorists queue to refuel their motorcycles at a fuel station amid concerns over fuel supply, in Dhaka, Bangladesh on March 15, 2026. — Reuters
Motorists queue to refuel their motorcycles at a fuel station amid concerns over fuel supply, in Dhaka, Bangladesh on March 15, 2026. — Reuters

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