When energy provision becomes a matter of national security, what place do climate commitments take?

As the war between Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz—through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil passes—has increased pressure on the energy market, some countries have again been driven toward coal. The International Energy Agency has predicted that global coal consumption this year will reach 8.94 billion tons, and investment in this sector has risen to its highest level since 2012.

Based on a recent report by the “Global Carbon Project,” carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels in 2026 are likely to fall by about 0.4 percent; a reduction that researchers say is mainly due to disruptions in oil supply and rising energy prices following the war involving Iran.

By Faryaz Zabeti, reporter for Iran International