Recent developments in Venezuela are the latest reminder that fossil fuels continue to act as upstream drivers of instability, repression, and conflict across the world. From price shocks that fuel inflation at home to wars and geopolitical confrontation abroad, dependence on oil and gas leaves economies brittle and societies exposed to sudden crises and political backlash.
From Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to recent US actions in Venezuela, control over fossil fuel resources has repeatedly triggered confrontation. Much of the world’s oil and gas reserves are concentrated in politically fragile regions, turning energy supply into a permanent geopolitical pressure point. In this system, fossil fuel interests benefit from volatility, weak accountability, and militarized responses, while ordinary people bear the costs through rising prices, reduced security, and the erosion of democratic norms and human rights.
Savio Carvalho, Managing Director for Campaigns at 350.org:
“Time and again, fossil fuels have proven to be a source of instability and violence. They expose countries to price shocks, coercion, and conflict, while concentrating power in the hands of a few corporations and states that profit from chaos. What we are seeing in Venezuela is not an exception, it is the system working exactly as it was designed.”
For countries dependent on energy imports, the lesson is increasingly clear. Continued reliance on oil and gas undermines sovereignty by exposing economies to external shocks, geopolitical leverage, and war. In a global system where energy supply is controlled by a small number of powerful actors, national security becomes fragile.
By contrast, the alternative is already taking shape. Renewable energy systems do not require military protection, do not destabilize regions, and do not trigger geopolitical conflict. According to the International Energy Agency, global renewable power capacity is expected to expand by nearly 4,600 gigawatts between 2025 and 2030 , double the growth of the previous five years. Wind, solar, battery storage, and electrification are not only climate solutions; they are long-term security strategies.
At COP30 last November, more than 80 countries signaled support for a global phaseout of fossil fuels. This reflects a growing recognition that ending fossil fuel dependence is not a niche climate demand, but a pathway to stability, resilience, and economic security.
“Phasing out fossil fuels is about reclaiming power from industries that profit from disorder,” Savio added.
“The energy transition offers countries a route to real sovereignty, one based on stable, affordable, and locally controlled energy. The evidence is overwhelming: dependence on fossil fuels produces insecurity, not strength. That is the reality world leaders can no longer ignore.”
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