Fossil Folly: Clean power shields from shocks

Fossil fuels are driving a cost crisis for households, businesses and nations. Clean energy offers a solution, as sunlight and wind do not depend on vulnerable shipping straits.

Global energy markets are shaken by conflict and instability. Rising prices for fuel, food and basic goods are eroding household purchasing power and straining economies.

War in the Middle East has exposed how fossil fuel dependency undermines countries' sovereignty and security. It leaves food prices, household budgets, business costs and entire economies at the mercy of geopolitical shocks. In a world of volatile power dynamics, the costs of reliance on fossil fuels continue to rise.

The latest conflict has constricted oil and gas supplies and driven prices higher, according to the International Energy Agency. Inflation has followed, raising costs for families and businesses.

These pressures are felt across regions. In Africa, many countries face rising food and fuel prices from global energy shocks. This strains household budgets, public finances and social safety nets. The World Food Programme warns that these shocks could push global hunger to record levels this year.

In Namibia, higher input costs for food, fuel and transport compound pressures on households and small businesses, especially in rural areas and among lower-income families.

Some argue that the response should be to slow the shift to renewables and deepen reliance on fossil fuels. This defies economic logic. With geopolitical instability likely to persist, energy price shocks will recur. Continued dependence on fossil fuels would leave countries exposed.

It would also accelerate global warming and intensify climate-related disasters such as storms, droughts, fires and floods. Across Africa, these are already disrupting agriculture, damaging infrastructure and forcing governments to divert resources from long-term development to emergency response and recovery.

In Namibia, recurring climate shocks increase pressure on food systems, water availability and livelihoods, especially in marginalised, climate-exposed communities. These pressures will intensify if temperatures rise further.

Fossil fuels also receive substantial global subsidies, reinforcing systems that drive economic volatility and climate instability.

There is a clear solution: accelerate the transition to clean energy systems. Renewables can provide power, supported by modern grids and storage, while clean technologies replace polluting alternatives. This addresses both the climate crisis and fossil fuel-linked costs.

Solar and wind energy do not depend on vulnerable shipping routes. Clean energy strengthens economic resilience and security, creates jobs, reduces pollution, improves public health and lowers costs. Renewable power is now among the cheapest energy sources.

In Namibia, investments in renewables and green hydrogen are creating jobs, economic diversification and greater energy independence.

Many countries are realising these benefits and building resilience to climate shocks. Yet more support is needed. More than $2 trillion went to clean energy last year—double the amount for fossil fuels—but only a small share reached developing economies.

This imbalance must change. Developed countries and international financial institutions should ensure affordable financing reaches developing nations for climate action. A global transition benefits all.

In an interconnected world, climate-related supply chain disruptions increasingly drive inflation. International cooperation is building more stable, sustainable alternatives.

UN Climate Change conferences support this work. Annual COP meetings have driven progress, including lower projected global temperature rises, transformed energy markets and stronger resilience. Progress must accelerate, with a focus on a just transition for fossil fuel-dependent economies and communities.

The faster countries act, the greater the benefits. Climate action must deliver tangible improvements to lives. Recent commitments to energy infrastructure signal momentum, with more expected at upcoming global forums.

Current global instability underlines the urgency. For Namibia, advancing clean energy is both an environmental necessity and a strategic economic opportunity. Climate cooperation offers stability, resilience and sustainable growth.

Simon Stiell is the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.