“No one has said to me anywhere in the world, 'you know what this energy crisis shows us? We need more fossil fuels.' They're saying the contrary, that renewable energy is sovereign energy… The sun has to travel 150 million kilometers to Earth. It doesn't have to travel the 150 kilometers through the Straits of Hormuz. No war can get in the way of the wind.”
Zero: The Climate Race · Climate & Energy · November 2026
Context
Asked whether wars and high energy prices make countries more willing to compromise at COP31, Bowen, Australia's climate and energy minister and president of the COP31 negotiations, says the energy crisis has strengthened the case for renewables as energy security.
Transcript
…and the just transition mechanism, their key implementation, particularly the just transition mechanism, a key implementation task for this COP. But I do think there's good examples of where we have implemented, and there's some key examples where implementation has to be a focus this year.
…energy prices high, which is the war in the Middle East. And the El Nino that is raising temperatures around the world and making already worse climate impacts even worse. With that background, do you see countries more willing to make compromises to come to a more ambitious outcome at this COP?
…you're right. I mean, obviously, I'm talking to a lot of my international colleagues and no one has said to me anywhere in the world, you know what this energy crisis shows us? We need more fossil fuels. I mean, no one is saying that. They're saying the contrary, that renewable energy is sovereign energy for many, many countries around the world. And to paraphrase the old saying, you know, the sun has to travel 150 million kilometers to Earth. It doesn't have to travel the 150 kilometers through the Straits of Hormuz. No war can get in the way of the wind. And for those countries that have renewable energy resources, it's sovereign. And even for those who don't, they need to diversify. Take Singapore, for example. They're not in a position to have massive onshore renewables. They don't have much room. But nor do they want to remain reliant on fossil fuel imports. So they're working with countries like Australia to diversify their energy needs…
But this geopolitical situation also can work against you, because let's start with the US, which is now out of the Paris Agreement, is not going to be on the floor of negotiations, participating directly. It is set to even leave the United Nations climate body next year. But under President Trump…
well i guess all i'd say uh is they're not there like they weren't in this will be the second cop where the united states hasn't been present they weren't present in bilém they were present in uh baku um john podesta was on the way out he was still though very active um representing his nation but…
you have in recent months uh met your counterparts both in china and india the other largest emitters in the world and you will need their support given they are parties and uh you know they bring a lot of weight to negotiations especially in the last moments when the final agreement is to come…
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