IEA Chief Warns of Persistent Global Energy Security Threats Ahead of London Summit
Global energy supply remains at risk of major disruptions, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned, ahead of a high-level energy summit convening in London this week. IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol emphasized that key lessons from the Ukraine conflict have yet to be fully absorbed by global leaders, cautioning that energy security challenges remain unresolved.
“The lessons from Ukraine have not yet been fully understood,” Birol told the Financial Times, as he outlined the IEA’s “three golden rules” for energy security: diversification of supply, political stability for long-term investment, and global cooperation.
Despite these guiding principles, Birol acknowledged that Europe and the UK continue to face energy supply vulnerabilities. The situation is further complicated by escalating global trade tensions—particularly the recent tariff moves by former U.S. President Donald Trump, which Birol warned could weaken international cooperation and influence oil and gas demand.
The London gathering will bring together top political leaders and industry giants to address both traditional and emerging energy threats. Key attendees include oil and gas majors Shell, BP, ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies, Eni, and Equinor, as well as renewable energy players Ørsted and Vestas. Major power suppliers like EDF, Enel, and Octopus Energy will also be part of the dialogue.
“We are going to look at traditional energy security risks, such as the loss of oil and gas, but also emerging risks such as supply chain disruption and the loss of critical minerals,” Birol stated.
Notably absent from the summit are Chinese companies. According to Birol, China declined the invitation due to scheduling conflicts. “We wish everybody was at the table,” he said, “but the countries attending the meeting make up three-quarters of the world’s GDP, which in my view is not bad at all.”
The summit, co-organized by the IEA and the British government, is expected to produce actionable strategies to reinforce global energy resilience in an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape.
By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com
