International Renewable Energy Agency: Middle East conflicts highlight the urgent need for countries to build more resilient energy systems

[Caixin] Global economic uncertainty and escalating geopolitical tensions have made energy transition urgent. On March 26, La Camera, the Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency, stated at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2026 that recent conflicts in the Middle East have exposed the vulnerabilities of national economic systems in responding to oil and gas price shocks, further highlighting the need for countries to build a more diversified, resilient, and sustainable energy system.

“Energy transition is not only a measure to address climate change but also provides countries with an important pathway to enhance energy security and improve economic resilience,” La Camera noted.

As early as December 2023, the “UAE Consensus” was reached on multiple topics at the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28). This consensus set a goal to accelerate the global transition away from fossil fuels by 2030, increasing renewable energy installed capacity threefold, doubling energy efficiency, and significantly reducing methane emissions.