The record
Written from the 1 report below. Nothing here is unsourced.
- More than 30 governments have adopted policies to move away from fossil fuels or improve energy efficiency in response to the war against Iran, according to the International Energy Agency.
- Global greenhouse gas emissions still increased by 0.2 per cent in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period the previous year.
- Global investment in wind and solar fell in the first half of 2026 after years of growth, with China accounting for most of the decline.
- Fossil fuel importers have paid $330 billion more than prewar market expectations, making the war the largest sustained energy price shock since the 1990 Gulf War.
- Countries that invested in clean energy after past energy crises saved an estimated $36 billion in avoided fossil fuel imports during the first five months of the conflict, showing why clean power matters for energy security.
What to watch next
- Whether governments sustain EV incentives, heat pump adoption and efficiency measures over years, which experts say is needed to make a dent in emissions.
- Whether clean energy investment rebounds after falling globally in the first half of 2026.
- Whether oil prices stay elevated long enough to keep pushing countries toward renewables, as Stanford scientist Rob Jackson noted sustained conflict is key.
Who said what4
Only words found exactly in the article are shown, attributed and linked to the line they came from.
Pauline Heinrichs
war studies lecturer at King's College London
1 quote · 1 outlet
“Governments are currently doing a dance between acknowledging the importance of clean power while continuing to support fossil fuel expansion”
In the article
…experts who said that while the Iran war appears to be helping the adoption of clean energy, the world is still heavily dependent on fossil fuels. They said it will take more time for new policies to show results. “ Governments are currently doing a dance between acknowledging the importance of clean power while continuing to support fossil fuel expansion ,” war studies lecturer Pauline Heinrichs at King's College London wrote in an email. “We are seeing an old and a new world interact in contradiction with each other.” There has been a surge in solar installations in…
Rob Jackson
Stanford University climate scientist
1 quote · 1 outlet
“We need that action over years, to decades, to make a dent in the climate problem”
In the article
…countries are promoting electric vehicle incentives, charging infrastructure and electrification in general, that can help in the fight against climate change, added Jackson. But only if those actions are sustained. “ We need that action over years, to decades, to make a dent in the climate problem ,” Jackson said Monday. Climate pollution increased marginally Thirty-three governments adopted policies to switch from fossil fuels to electricity or improve energy efficiency in response to the Middle East conflict,…
Caspian Conran
lead economist at the global consultancy firm Baringa
1 quote · 1 outlet
“We simply don't have a choice”
In the article
…and the US won't run out of domestic natural gas, he said. Europe's politicians feel the most urgency to adopt new energy policies because their fossil fuel production is limited, said Conran, who is based in London. “ We simply don't have a choice ,” he said. Too soon to say whether the war will be a net gain for renewables or fossil fuels At this point, the signal would be small and there is a lot of other variation in the system, according to Michael…
Samantha Gross
1 quote · 1 outlet
“The Trump administration has been really focused on fossil fuels, but since they started this conflict, you have to ask the question, is this good for fossil fuels? And in short, I really think not”
In the article
…people concerned about the green side, but people concerned about hard security.” President Donald Trump is shifting the US away from renewables. The war underscores the risks of his relentless focus on fossil fuels. “ The Trump administration has been really focused on fossil fuels, but since they started this conflict, you have to ask the question, is this good for fossil fuels? And in short, I really think not ,” Gross said. “Because the high prices and the uncertainty brought about by this war are helping to push other countries away from fossil fuels.” Published on September 17, 2026…
Coverage1
All filed from India
Named United States · Israel · Iran · China · India · Indonesia · United Kingdom · Brazil · France · Italy · Spain · Netherlands · Japan · Laos · Baringa · Brookings Institution · Caspian Conran · Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air · Climate TRACE · Donald Trump · Hannah Pitt · International Energy Agency · Michael Oppenheimer · Pauline Heinrichs · Rhodium Group
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