Economic case for a major energy transition is clear
Oil and gas must face climate change head on
Pushing for more fossil fuels is counter-productive to hydrocarbons’ important long-term role
The IEA has faced an onslaught of criticism from both the left and the right of the political spectrum since the publication of its Net Zero by 2050: A Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector report in May 2021. However, the fiercest criticism has come—directly or indirectly—from some quarters of the oil and gas industry itself: from Saudi oil minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman calling it “La La Land” to the report by the Energy Policy Research Foundation (EPRF) labelling it as a “seal of approval… to block investment in oil and gas production by Western companies”. The EPRF describes itself as a “not-for-profit organization that studies energy economics and policy issues with special emphasi
Also in this section
13 March 2026
Brussels is again weighing a cap on gas prices amid the Hormuz crisis, but the measure could backfire by deterring the LNG cargoes Europe urgently needs
12 March 2026
Emergency oil stocks provide a last line of defence to oil market shocks, so the IEA’s unprecedented 400m bl release represents something of a double-edged sword
12 March 2026
LPG could rapidly expand access to clean cooking across Africa and prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths from indoor air pollution each year, but infrastructure shortages and regulatory barriers are slowing investment and market growth
11 March 2026
Missiles over Dubai and disruption in Hormuz are testing the emirate’s reputation—and shaking the energy hub at the centre of the Gulf economy
