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Mideast war lights fire under energy transition plans Paris, France, April 21 (AFP) Apr 21, 2026 Painful surges in oil prices are spurring countries to quickly rethink how to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, as shortage risks from war in the Middle East grow greater by the day. Britain's government on Tuesday was the latest to unveil its plans, vowing to "massively expand renewables" as a way of bolstering energy security while denting the impact of higher electricity and petrol costs. Around 60 governments worldwide have announced strategic responses or reviews since US and Israeli forces began striking Iran on February 28, according to Carbon Brief, a specialised news site. Using data from the International Energy Agency, Carbon Brief found many countries promising short-term relief such as cuts on fuel taxes or warning of rationing of fossil fuels. But others have responded with plans to accelerate their green energy transitions toward low-carbon sources.
Electric vehicles should make up two out of every three new car sales by 2030, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said. The government is also providing aid to spur the installation of one million heat pumps a year, reducing reliance on imported natural gas.
The two key measures were increased aid for using renewable energies by government employees and household subsidies for EV purchases.
The archipelago nation relies on coal for about 60 percent of its electricity generation, and President Ferdinand Marcos has declared a "national energy emergency" due to risks to the domestic fuel supply.
It announced on March 20 a $40 billion project with Washington to build next-generation small nuclear power plants in Tennessee and Alabama, which could expand Japan's own network of nuclear plants.
It also cut tariffs on rechargeable hybrid vehicles to just seven percent from 35 percent.
The goal is also to reinforce energy stockage capacities.
"We have made a deliberate and strategic decision to significantly expand our energy capacity," Ruto said. |
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