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Solar panels and wind turbines in eastern China. Solar and wind power, batteries and electric vehicles are now cheaper and more widely available, making a shift away from fossil fuels more affordable.<\/p>\n
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved <\/p>\n
The Middle East conflict has made it clear that dependence on imported fossil fuels leaves nations vulnerable to shocks and shortages. This makes clean energy not just a climate necessity but a national security imperative, with implications for the energy transition.\n<\/p>\n
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May 1, 2026 – 09:00\n<\/p>\n
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\n I am a climate and science\/technology reporter. I am interested in the effects of climate change on everyday life and scientific solutions.
\nBorn in London, I am a dual citizen of Switzerland and the UK. After studying modern languages and translation, I trained as a journalist and joined swissinfo.ch in 2006. My working languages are English, German, French and Spanish. <\/p>\n
More than eight weeks into the US\u2011Israeli conflict with Iran, the impact on global energy markets is deepening. Tehran\u2019s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered what the International Energy Agency (IEA) callsExternal link<\/a> the largest supply disruption in the history of the oil market. Around a fifth of the world\u2019s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) normally passes through the waterway, with most of it bound for Asia. As supplies tighten, fuel prices have surged.<\/p>\n The International Monetary Fund says the shock is hitting economies unevenly but warns that \u201call roads\u201d lead to higher prices and weaker growth. Governments have responded with emergency measuresExternal link<\/a> \u2013 capping prices, conserving energy and drawing on strategic stocks \u2013 while also speeding the transition to cheaper and more available renewable energy.<\/p>\n Why it matters for Switzerland<\/p>\n Switzerland is also vulnerable. The country covers around two\u2011thirds of its energy needs with imports, including all oil products, natural gas and nuclear fuel, used mainly for transport and heating. That dependency sends about CHF7 billion ($9 billion) abroad each year, saysExternal link<\/a> the Swiss Energy Foundation (SES), which estimates Switzerland is somewhere in the middle of European countries in terms of energy independence.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Iran war clearly shows how vulnerable global energy supply is to geopolitical events,\u201d said L\u00e9onore H\u00e4lg, head of renewables at SES. Expanding domestic renewable energy and strengthening cooperation within Europe, she said, are essential for Switzerland to secure supply and reduce reliance on authoritarian states.<\/p>\n Series: Switzerland and its ambiguous relationship with fossil fuels <\/p>\n Switzerland has pledged to phase out fossil fuels and continue the transition to renewable energy sources. At\u00a0the latest United Nations Climate Conference\u00a0(COP30), more than 80 countries, including Switzerland, called for a clear roadmap for turning away from fossil fuels.<\/p>\n At the same time, Switzerland remains heavily dependent on oil and gas imports, especially for transport and building heating. This series analyses Switzerland\u2019s energy dependency and its somewhat ambiguous relationship with fossil fuels in the international context.<\/p>\n A global exposure problem<\/p>\n Analysis by the think tank EmberExternal link<\/a> shows that roughly three\u2011quarters of the world\u2019s population lives in fossil\u2011fuel\u2011importing countries, with 50 nations importing more than half of their primary energy. Major economies such as Germany, Italy and Spain rely on imports for over two\u2011thirds of their energy, while Japan and South Korea depend on imports for more than 80%.<\/p>\n About 60% of the global population live in liquefied natural gas\u2011importing countries, with Taiwan, Japan and South Korea among the most exposed. However, oil remains the biggest vulnerability around the world. Ember estimates that 79% of the global population lives in oil\u2011importing countries. Net importers spent $1.7 trillion on fossil fuels in 2024, and every $10 increase in oil prices adds around $160 billion to the global import bill.<\/p>\n \u201cOil is the Achilles\u2019 heel of the global economy. Asia\u2019s oil vulnerability has been exposed by the current crisis,\u201d said Daan Walter, Ember\u2019s director.<\/p>\n Short-term alternatives and impacts on emissions<\/p>\n In the immediate term, the war may push CO\u2082 emissions higher. Several countries have turned back to coal to offset high gas prices. Thailand has restarted coal\u2011fired power plants, while Japan and South Korea have eased limits on burning coal. In Europe, Italy has delayed its coal phase\u2011out and Germany\u2019s coal plants are temporarily producing more energy than gas\u2011fired stations.<\/p>\n Analysts stress that most countries are delaying retiring coal rather than building new plants \u2013 a pattern also seen after Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine.<\/p>\n The crisis has also revived debate over nuclear power as a way to reduce fossil fuel dependence. Taiwan is considering restarting its last reactor, while Japan continues discussions on bringing more plants back online. Several European countries, including Switzerland, are weighing higher nuclear investment, although new capacity would take years to deliver.<\/p>\n Between 125 and 140 ships usually crossed in and out of the Keystone \/ AP Photo <\/p>\n European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called the decline of nuclear power over the past two decades a strategic mistake and warned that reliance on \u201cexpensive and volatile\u201d fossil fuel imports puts Europe at a structural disadvantage. Brussels has since proposed measures centred on electrification, coordinated oil and gas stockpiling, targeted state aid and short\u2011term relief to cut bills for households and industry.<\/p>\n Asia\u2019s Ukraine moment<\/p>\n This is the second global energy crisis in four years. Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine galvanised Europe to cut dependence on Russian pipelines. Ember argues the Iran war could play a similar role for Asia.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is Asia\u2019s Ukraine moment,\u201d said Walter. Solar and wind power, batteries and electric vehicles are far cheaper and more widely available than they were in 2022, making a shift away from fossil fuels more affordable.<\/p>\n There are signs of momentum toward green energy. New data showsExternal link<\/a> that all of last year\u2019s growth in global electricity demand was met by renewables, while fossil\u2011fuel power generation declined for the first time since 2020. Record installations of solar and wind, combined with falling battery prices, are easing concerns about reliability and scale for renewables.<\/p>\n High fuel prices are also shaping consumer behaviour. The Financial Times reportsExternal link<\/a> rising interest in electric vehicles and domestic solar panels, while investors have been funnelling money into clean\u2011energy stocks, particularly in China, betting that the oil shock will accelerate demand.<\/p>\n Still, there are risks. After Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine, energy price spikes fuelled inflation and forced central banks to raise interest rates, squeezing clean\u2011energy investment. A similar cycle could complicate the transition.<\/p>\n Crisis as catalyst?<\/p>\n Will the Iran war ultimately accelerate the global energy transition? Opinions diverge.<\/p>\n Andreas Sieber, head of political strategy at climate group 350.orgExternal link<\/a>, argues the shift is already under way. \u201cThe latest data shows the transition is quietly accelerating, even amid crisis,\u201d he told Swissinfo.<\/p>\n Others urge caution but see the current crisis as an opportunity. \u201cLasting progress in the energy transition depends on credible, long\u2011term policy frameworks rather than temporary price spikes,\u201d said Massimo Filippini, professor of public and energy economics at the federal technology institute ETH Zurich and the Universit\u00e0 della Svizzera Italiana. Households and firms tend to wait for markets to stabilise before investing in efficiency, electrification or renewables. Durable progress, he argues, requires predictable long\u2011term signals such as a global carbon tax, backed by complementary measures.<\/p>\n The conflict is nonetheless reshaping the debate. Many governments now see electrification and domestic renewables as national security priorities, not just climate tools, and volatile oil prices are pushing policymakers to lean more heavily on that argument.<\/p>\n The energy transition has so far been framed mainly as a climate responsibility \u2013 an essential but incomplete perspective, Filippini told Swissinfo. \u201cIt is also about security and resilience: more domestic and renewable energy means less exposure to geopolitical shocks, less vulnerability to fossil fuel price volatility, stronger, more resilient economies, and better air quality.\u201d Clear long\u2011term signals, he added, could prompt households and companies to change behaviour.<\/p>\n Vance CulbertExternal link<\/a>, a senior energy policy adviser at the Geneva\u2011based International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), also sees shifting priorities, despite short\u2011term setbacks such as a return to coal. Energy security and sovereignty are becoming central to policy choices, he told Swissinfo, forcing governments to favour cheaper options \u2013 often renewables \u2013 and rethink costly subsidies for imported fuels.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a global shift in perception,\u201d Culbert argued, one that could ultimately reinforce the transition away from fossil fuels even if the path remains uneven.<\/p>\n Edited by Gabe Bullard\/Veronica De Vore<\/p>\n \n More<\/p>\n More <\/p>\n Climate adaptation\n <\/p>\n High oil prices could boost renewables, says Energy Vault CEO <\/p>\n This content was published on <\/p>\n Apr 25, 2026 <\/p>\n Robert Piconi, the Chair and CEO of Energy Vault, says high oil prices could actually be good news. <\/p>\n
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\n English Department <\/a><\/p>\n![\"Between](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/708339350_highres.jpg\")
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\nstrait daily before the Middle East conflict began on
\nFebruary 28,. Today many tankers and ships remain blocked and traffic has been reduced to a trickle. <\/p>\n![\"Teaser](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ceo_spotlight_piconi.jpg\")
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