From Beijing to Brussels, Energy Crisis Triggers Global Shift Away from Oil Dependence

Fire and smoke rise in the Fujairah oil industry zone, caused by debris after interception of a drone by air defenses, according to the Fujairah media office, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, March 4, 2026. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky

By Anna Hirtenstein and Kate Abnett

The energy shock from the Iran war has policymakers around the globe rethinking ways to reduce long-term dependence on oil and gas imports, with proposals to expand nuclear energy and renewables, grow strategic stockpiles and domestic production, and diversify foreign sources of supply.

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