War in Iran Drives Clean Energy Development, But Climate Change Looms

The Iran war has led to a surge in clean energy development globally, but experts say it's not yet enough to help address climate change. When the US and Israel launched the war in February, some predicted that higher oil and gas prices would drive a green transition. So far, more than 30 governments have enacted policies to move away from fossil fuels or improve energy efficiency.

However, despite these efforts, global emissions of greenhouse gases increased by 0.2% in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period last year, according to Climate TRACE. The surge in solar installations in the UK and Indonesia's replacement of some diesel power plants with solar are examples of countries taking steps towards clean energy.

Experts warn that it will take more time for new policies to show results. 'Governments are currently doing a dance between acknowledging the importance of clean power while continuing to support fossil fuel expansion,' said Pauline Heinrichs, a war studies lecturer at King's College London.