Fossil fuels ripping away national security

Europe’s reliance on fossil fuels is eroding national security and exposing economies to geopolitical shocks, a senior UN climate official warned as energy prices surge amid conflict in the Middle East.

Speaking as the Green Growth Summit opened in Brussels, Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), said dependence on imported oil and gas is leaving countries dangerously exposed.

Electricity and gas prices have surged since the outbreak of war involving Iran, with attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz disrupting a corridor that carries roughly a fifth of global oil supplies.

“Fossil fuel dependency is ripping away national security and sovereignty,” Stiell warned, arguing that energy systems tied to volatile global markets are pushing nations into economic vulnerability.

Energy shock exposes Europe’s weak point

Despite renewable energy overtaking fossil fuels in global power growth last year, Europe remains heavily dependent on imported fuel.

The latest surge in prices has laid bare the risk. Oil prices briefly approached $100 a barrel after the conflict escalated, compared with $60–$70 earlier this year.

In response, dozens of countries have agreed to release 400 million barrels from emergency reserves. Yet analysts say that amount represents only about four days of global oil supply — a stark reminder of the system’s fragility.

Countries with stronger renewable infrastructure are weathering the crisis better. Spain, which has doubled wind and solar capacity since 2019, has seen electricity prices less affected by gas market volatility.

Renewables framed as security strategy

Stiell argued that renewable energy offers a strategic alternative to fossil fuel dependence.

“Renewables turn the tables,” he said. “Sunlight doesn’t depend on narrow shipping straits. Wind blows without massive taxpayer-funded naval escorts.”

The warning comes as EU energy ministers prepare emergency talks in Brussels on stabilising markets and accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels.

A recent report by the Climate Change Committee found that achieving the UK’s net-zero target by 2050 would cost less than a single major fossil fuel price shock.

For policymakers facing yet another energy crisis, the message is blunt: reliance on imported oil and gas risks locking economies into recurring shocks — with households and industries paying the price.

Fossil fuels 'ripping away national security' but renewables 'turn the tables', says UN executive