The conflict in the Middle East is exposing one of the global economy’s deepest vulnerabilities: the reliance on fossil fuels flowing through conflict-prone regions, according to United Nations (UN) report. The Strait of Hormuz — through which one fifth of the world’s oil and gas passes — has been largely closed to shipping since fighting involving Iran, the US, and Israel began a month ago. The disruption is driving up energy prices and rattling markets worldwide.
The UN says the crisis is no longer just a supply problem but a systemic resilience failure. UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned earlier this year that “our addiction to fossil fuels is destabilizing both the climate and global security,” adding that three-quarters of humanity lives in countries that import fossil fuels at prices they cannot predict or control. Development budgets are being swallowed by fuel bills, leaving nations at the mercy of geopolitical shocks they have little power to prevent.
Renewable energy offers a fundamentally different model — locally produced, more stable, and increasingly cheaper than coal, oil, or gas. UN climate chief Simon Stiell called renewables “the clearest, cheapest path to energy security and sovereignty, shielding countries from shocks unleashed by wars and trade turmoil.” Countries like Kenya, Chile, and India are already scaling up solar, wind, and geothermal power, though India still depends heavily on Gulf oil supplies through the Hormuz route.
The transition matters not just for governments but for ordinary families facing rising electricity and fuel bills. According to the UN, renewables are in most cases already cheaper than fossil fuels and can stabilize household energy costs over time. The current crisis, the UN argues, is a stark reminder that ending fossil fuel dependence is not just a climate imperative — it is a matter of economic survival and national security.
