Iran Conflict Spurs Clean-Energy Measures as Global Emissions Continue to Rise

The conflict involving Iran is prompting some governments to strengthen clean-energy policies, even as global greenhouse gas emissions remain high and investment in wind and solar power has weakened.

More than 30 governments have introduced measures supporting renewable energy, electric vehicles and energy efficiency since the conflict began in February. The measures reflect growing concerns about energy security as well as the environmental costs of fossil fuels.

However, the early global impact of the policy response remains limited. Greenhouse gas emissions increased by 0.2 percent in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, according to the source report.

Energy security adds pressure for transition

Rob Jackson, a climate scientist at Stanford, said high oil prices could encourage households, businesses and governments to consider alternatives. He noted that Brent crude had risen above $100 a barrel and said prices remaining at that level for an extended period could influence longer-term decisions on renewable and other energy sources.

“People and countries respond to economics, to price,” Jackson said, adding that sustained high prices could push people toward alternative energy and lead to longer-term choices favouring renewables.

Samantha Gross, a scholar at the Brookings Institution, said the conflict had added an energy-security argument to the case for reducing fossil-fuel use.

“As fossil fuels after the Iran war look more expensive and less secure, that really brings up a whole another reason for a transition away from fossil fuels,” Gross said. She said the shift was not only about addressing climate change but also about securing energy supplies.

Investment slowdown and continued fossil-fuel use

Despite the new policies, global investment in wind and solar declined. The fall was attributed largely to a slowdown in China, although the available information does not quantify the size of the decrease.

The transition away from fossil fuels is also uneven. Some countries have expanded fossil-fuel production to protect their energy supplies, while the wider global economy remains heavily dependent on oil, gas and other fossil fuels.

Researchers said the measures adopted by governments could take years to produce measurable results. The increase in emissions during the first half of the year indicates that the clean-energy response has not yet translated into a significant reduction in global greenhouse gas output.

The identities of the more than 30 governments and the details of their individual policies have not been specified. It is also not established whether any particular measure contributed to the reported emissions outcome.