Energy security in an age of conflict: Lessons from the Iran war for the EU

This event is part of our European Sovereignty Days series of events at BIG. Discover the full programme here.

Four years after the 2022 energy shock, renewed conflict involving Iran once again lays bare Europe’s structural energy vulnerabilities. Disruptions in the Persian Gulf, ranging from threats to the Strait of Hormuz to attacks on critical infrastructure, are sending shockwaves through global oil and LNG markets, driving price volatility and renewed pressure on European households and industry.

This crisis highlights a fundamental tension at the heart of EU energy policy: how to reconcile short-term crisis response with long-term strategic objectives. That tension is now coming to a head at a critical juncture, as international discussions on transitioning away from fossil fuels are underway in Colombia and the EU is revising its energy security framework.

Together, these developments raise a central question: how can Europe manage the decline of its fossil fuel dependence in a way that strengthens, rather than undermines, its resilience in an increasingly conflict-prone world?

On Tuesday 28 April, the Brussels Institute for Geopolitics will convene expertise from across the sector to explore how geopolitical risk can be more effectively integrated into EU energy policy. What lessons does the Iran crisis offer? And how can the EU align immediate crisis measures with its longer-term ambitions for decarbonisation and strategic autonomy?

Join us for a timely assessment of current developments in their broader strategic context, as we aim to inform a more coherent and forward-looking European approach to energy security.

Contributors

• Jilles van den Beukel, Energy Specialist, the Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS)
• Brendan Devlin, Just Transition Advisor, DG ENER, European Commission
• Maria Pastukhova, Energy Transition Programme Lead, E3G (joining virtually)
• Thijs Van de Graaf, BIG’s Energy Fellow and author of Global Energy Politics (2020), will lead the discussion.

The discussion will be followed by a Q&A and a small drinks reception.