Sustainable Switch Climate Focus: Iran war ‘supercharging’ global shift to renewables 

By Sharon Kits Kimathi

May 1 (Reuters) - Hello!

Looks like the world is finally getting on board with making a sustainable switch, according to the United Nations climate secretary.

I guess my work here is done!

Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the U.N.'s climate secretariat UNFCCC, told a meeting of government officials at the International Energy Agency in Paris that the U.S.-Israeli war ​with Iran is "supercharging" the world's shift to renewable energy, as countries scramble to reduce their exposure to volatile oil and gas markets.

Oil prices rose on Friday as efforts to ‌halt the Iran war remained at an impasse, with Tehran still blocking the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. Navy blocking exports of Iranian crude.

Early signs indicate the war, which began two months ago, is speeding up some countries' low-carbon transition.

As I highlighted in last week’s Climate Focus newsletter, demand for rooftop solar systems across Europe has surged, while countries including Pakistan have reported a jump in electric vehicle sales.

"Those who’ve fought to keep the world hooked on fossil fuels are inadvertently ​supercharging the global renewables boom," said Stiell.

"Renewables offer safer, cheaper, cleaner energy that can’t be held captive by narrow shipping straits, or global conflicts," he added.

Keep scrolling for more on how ​the war is impacting rice farmers in Asia.

Climate Buzz

1. Nearly all of Europe had above-average heat last year, as climate records toppled

EU scientists and the World ⁠Meteorological Organization said that at least 95% of Europe experienced above-average temperatures in 2025, while wildfires burnt more than 1 million hectares of land - an area larger than Cyprus and the biggest annual total on record.

1. ​From surplus to strain: world rice supply threatened by Iran war, El Nino

Asia’s rice farmers are facing mounting stress from factors ranging from fertilizer shortages and soaring fuel costs amid the Iran war, to an emerging El ​Nino weather phenomenon, which is set to usher in hotter, drier conditions for the region in the second half of the year. Click here for the full Reuters report.

1. Brazil’s Abrolhos corals, the South Atlantic’s most diverse, decline as climate warms

Coral cover of Brazil’s Abrolhos reefs, the most biodiverse coral ecosystem in the South Atlantic, has fallen by around 15% over 18 years due to climate change and human activity. Rodrigo Leao de Moura, a marine biologist at the Federal University of ​Rio de Janeiro, said that marine heatwaves linked to climate change have intensified so-called bleaching events where corals expel the algae that call them home, which permanently undermines coral health. Click here for the full ​Reuters story.

1. Tropical forest loss eases in 2025 from record high

On a positive note and a win for environmentalists, destruction of the world's tropical forests eased in 2025 from a record high, according to a report by the World ‌Resources Institute ⁠and the University of Maryland. Elizabeth Goldman, a co-director of Global Forest Watch, which releases the annual report, highlighted the importance of policy making to curb deforestation and real interventions that can be seen in the data. Click here for more on the report.

Meanwhile, the European Commission is set to exclude imports of leather hides and skins from its anti-deforestation law, EU officials told Reuters. Environmental groups have urged the EU not to exempt leather, arguing that production does not incentivise the cattle farming that fuels forest destruction.

1. Environmentalists in Western Balkans call for renewables over US gas projects

Environmental activists in the Western Balkans urged their governments to resist lobbying ​from the United States to build gas infrastructure ​in the region, and focus on renewable energy, ⁠in line with the European Union, which plans to ban all Russian gas imports by 2028. Activists say new gas projects would have a negative impact on climate and on the economy, arguing long-term investments will not pay off.

What to Watch

Click here, opens new tab to watch a video celebrating the life of British broadcaster and ​natural historian David Attenborough, ahead of his 100th birthday, with over 150,000 visitors to the Natural History Museum immersive show 'Our Story with David Attenborough.'

Climate ​Commentary

• Click here, opens new tab to learn more about ⁠the true cost of synthetic fashion in an Ethical Corp Magazine piece by Marc Palahi, CEO of the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance and Federico Marchetti, chair of Sustainable Markets Initiative Fashion Task Force.

• Is sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) having a comeback moment? Click here to find out more in a piece by Breakingviews’ EMEA production editor Oliver Taslic.

• Click here for a column by Reuters global energy transition columnistGavin Maguire, on how the El Nino weather phenomenon may spur shifts in coal and natural gas ⁠consumption across key ​regions.

Climate Lens

Click here for a brilliantly illustrated graphics-led feature on how everyday consumer items like laundry detergents or toothpaste have been ​impacted by the U.S./Israel war against Iran due to materials like chemicals and plastics becoming more expensive, pushing up manufacturing and transportation costs. There’s also a fun little game to guess which items have oil or gas derived chemicals.

Number of the Week

70%

That’s the ​share of fuel and fertilizer cost increases that EU governments will be allowed to compensate companies in sectors including agriculture, fisheries, rail, road transport and shipping, under temporarily loosened state aid rules introduced after the Iran war.