War, pollution and energy dependence: what if the transition becomes an economic security issue?
The strikes on oil depots in Tehran recall that conflicts are also environmental disasters and reveal Europe's energy vulnerability.
On 8 March 2026, the people of Tehran woke up under a dark sky. After several strikes targeting oil depots and fuel infrastructure around the Iranian capital, heavy toxic smoke covered the city. The smell of burned oil has settled in the air and the authorities have called on the population to stay inside.
Beyond military escalation, these images recall a reality that is often relegated to the background: armed conflicts also produce major environmental disasters.
But this environmental dimension also reveals another fragility, more structural: that of the world economy in the face of its dependence on fossil fuels.
Behind the strikes, lasting pollution
According to the Conflict and Environment Observatory, more than 120 incidents that could cause environmental damage have already been identified in the region since the beginning of the military operation.
Attacks on energy, industrial or military infrastructure can release a wide range of pollutants: hydrocarbons, heavy metals, missile fuels or toxic chemical compounds. Fires from refineries or oil deposits generate, among other things, plumes of fine particles, sulphur dioxide or volatile organic compounds that can move over long distances.
In a megacity like Tehran, which has more than 10 million inhabitants and is already suffering from regular episodes of air pollution, these emissions pose an immediate health risk. When weather conditions are unfavourable, pollutants can remain trapped near the ground and accumulate in urban areas.
These events also have a significant climate impact. A major oil infrastructure fire can release between 100,000 and 900,000 tonnes of CO2.
These images recall those of the 1991 Gulf War, when the burning of hundreds of oil wells in Kuwait plunged part of the Middle East into a cloud of smoke for several months.
Energy dependence as a strategic risk
But the consequences of these crises are not limited to areas of conflict. They have an immediate impact on global energy markets.
The Middle East remains a strategic transit point: about 20 per cent of global oil and gas trade flows through the region. Any geopolitical tension therefore causes domino effects on prices and the availability of resources.
For Europe, the situation remains fragile. It is true that direct dependence on Iranian oil is limited, and Qatari gas imports account for about 10 % of the gas consumed in the Union. But energy crises are transmitted through global markets, exposing European companies to price shocks and supply disruptions.
Since the war in Ukraine, Europe has undertaken a diversification of its energy sources. But this strategy has often consisted of replacing one dependency with another. Liquefied natural gas imported, particularly from the United States, now accounts for an increasing share of European supply.
In this context, the energy transition is no longer a climate issue. It is gradually becoming an issue of economic sovereignty.
Reducing oil and gas consumption through energy efficiency, electrification and the development of renewable energies reduces exposure to geopolitical crises. In other words, every kilowatt hour produced locally is also a factor of economic stability.
A direct challenge for businesses
For European companies, these tensions remind us that energy has become a strategic risk to business continuity.
Price fluctuations, supply pressures or logistical disruptions can quickly affect production costs, transport and the supply chain.
In a context where regulatory requirements and customer expectations for decarbonisation are increasing, energy footprint control is also becoming a competitive issue.
The energy transition thus appears increasingly as a lever of economic resilience: reducing its dependence on fossil fuels also reduces its exposure to geopolitical crises.
Today, companies must reconcile economic performance, customer requirements and reduced energy dependence.
To support these transformations, ACTE International offers support and training dedicated to structuring CSR and climate approaches to help companies transform these challenges into levers of performance and resilience.
Discover ACTE solutions: https://www.acte-international.com/rse
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Novelhic, Middle East War: « Energy transition is more than ever a sovereign issue for Europe » Published on 6 March 2026