• Commentary

        • 21 Apr 2026

        How governments can best support consumers during this energy crisis

        …economic activity more broadly. In response, many governments have announced emergency measures to protect consumers from higher energy costs. The IEA has supported these efforts by launching its largest-ever release of emergency oil stocks, publishing a menu of demand-side measures that governments, businesses and households can take to shelter consumers from price pressures, and tracking the actions being taken through its new Energy Crisis Policy Response Tracker.So far, governments have supported consumers in two ways: through direct price relief, such as fuel price caps or tax cuts, and through demand-side measures aimed at reducing energy use. Designing these measures…

        • Commentary

        • 19 Jan 2026

        7 certainties about energy for this age of uncertainty

        ED commentary The energy sector, like many others, is contending with a blizzard of uncertainties, complicating the work of policymakers, business leaders and investors.Geopolitical twists and turns are straining long-established relationships and upending deeply held assumptions. The World Uncertainty Index, devised by economists from the IMF and Stanford University, has hit unprecedented levels in recent months.But in this time of flux, there are still some important trends that we can identify with some confidence. Here are seven that can help us keep our bearings: The world has entered the age of electricity Oil and gas will still…

        • Commentary

        • 13 May 2026

        Energy crisis threatens world’s most vulnerable as cooking fuel shortages grow

        …Previous energy crises affected economies and societies in profound ways, often forcing households to ration fuel for their cars and heating for their homes. The 2026 crisis is being felt across the globe – and households in emerging and developing economies are now facing a particularly severe challenge: whether there is enough fuel simply to cook a meal, and whether they can still afford it.At the centre of this sits liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), the world's most widely used cooking fuel. Around 3.4 billion people across the developing world use LPG as their primary source of energy for…

        • Event

        • 06 May 2026

        • 12:00

        Tracking Energy Crisis Policy Responses

        …consumers from high energy prices. To support these actions, the IEA published a report, Sheltering from Oil Shocks, with a menu of 10 demand-side options for governments, households and businesses that could help to quickly save fuel. The IEA has also been closely monitoring the actions taken by countries around the world through a new 2026 Energy Crisis Policy Response Tracker, which highlights measures from nearly 80 countries to reduce demand for oil and other fuels, protect consumers from high energy prices, and enhance long-term resilience.During this webinar, IEA experts will present key findings from the Tracker –…

        • Commentary

        • 23 Jun 2026

        How accelerating electrification could strengthen energy security in Southeast Asia

        …supply disruptions. The current energy crisis linked to the Middle East conflict has underscored these vulnerabilities. Ahead of the crisis, around 60% of crude oil imports and a third of natural gas imports in the region came from the Middle East. And based on current policy settings, this dependence is set to increase: by 2035, the region, which today exports small volumes of natural gas, is projected to rely on imports for one-third of its natural gas demand. For oil, imports are projected to account for around 80% of demand by 2035 based on current policy settings. Electrification can…

        • Commentary

        • 27 Jan 2026

        Designing an effective strategic stockpiling system for critical minerals

        …materialised at scale The IEA has long warned of the potential security risks associated with the high concentration of critical mineral supply chains. In 2025, these risks became a reality, marking a major turning point for global economic security. The rare earths export controls announced by China in October 2025 posed major national and economic security risks across the world, with potentially severe impacts for a range of strategic sectors including energy, automotive, defence, aerospace, AI and semiconductors. Earlier export controls introduced in April had already resulted in some automotive factories around the world being forced to cut utilisation rates…

        • Commentary

        • 25 Mar 2026

        Businesses see competitive value of energy efficiency, but smaller firms struggle to access solutions

        …action. In response to energy price fluctuations, nearly 30% of companies also said they either scaled back production or passed costs on to customers. These are measures that can erode competitiveness and signal constraints in companies’ ability to invest in efficiency. Company size influences the uptake of energy efficiency measures While the value of energy efficiency is broadly recognised across industries, companies differ in their capacity to implement supportive measures, with size shaping both the scope and speed of action. Large companies typically adopt long-term, comprehensive strategies backed by greater investment, in-house expertise and formalised energy management systems…

        • Commentary

        • 19 Jun 2026

        Delivering on the EU’s electrification ambitions

        …growth could be achieved by electrifying heat in non-energy-intensive industries, the paper industry and the chemicals industry. Taken together, this would displace more than 10 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas and 90,000 barrels per day of oil. To accelerate this process, the European Commission has proposed establishing an Industrial Development Bank to mobilise EUR 100 billion, of which a first EUR 1 billion auction has started. As low- and medium-temperature heat accounts for only around one-third of the EU’s total industrial energy demand, policy support is also emerging for the electrification of…

        • Commentary

        • 27 Mar 2026

        Policy and financing momentum sustain CCUS progress despite setbacks

        CCUS Projects Database 2026 commentary Efforts to expand carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) took some important steps forward in 2025. Despite delays and cancellations in some areas, projects reached notable milestones in key markets, while growing financing provided further momentum.CCUS deployment in Europe saw a step-change as the world’s first dedicated carbon dioxide CO2 storage hub began operating in Norway. Major projects were also commissioned in China and North America, and the construction of new facilities began in eight countries worldwide. The newest annual update to the IEA’s CCUS Project Database – which incorporates developments between…

        • Commentary

        • 22 Jun 2026

        How global oil supplies have readjusted to help fill the huge gap left by the Strait of Hormuz shock

        commentary Stock drawdowns, alternative routes and suppliers, and agile refiners have all contributed during the crisis, avoiding far more severe impacts on demand Global energy markets have been contending with their largest supply disruption in history resulting from the near closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for oil and gas shipments to reach global markets. The cumulative oil supply losses from producers in the Middle East now exceed 1.3 billion barrels, with flows through the Strait of Hormuz falling from around 20 million barrels per day prior to the conflict to an average of 2.7…

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