Fatih Birol, IEA executive director
IEA’s Birol sees role for oil and gas as part of ‘orderly’ energy transition
Tackling both the energy security crisis and the climate crisis means clean energy push must be secure and affordable
Energy security and energy sustainability do not always make the most comfortable of bedfellows. Concerns over sufficient oil and gas, stemming partly from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, have raised questions over the pace, cost and practicality of climate goals. But for the Paris-based IEA—the global energy authority—security of supply, environmental sustainability and increased energy cooperation around the world make up its triple-headed mission. Carbon Economist sat down at the IEA’s headquarters with its executive director, Fatih Birol, to discuss the big energy issues facing the world. How has the IEA’s mission evolved from a focus on energy security to a focus also on energy sustain
Also in this section
2 January 2026
This year may be a defining one for carbon capture, utilisation and storage in the US, despite the institutional uncertainty
23 December 2025
Legislative reform in Germany sets the stage for commercial carbon capture and transport at a national level, while the UK has already seen financial close on major CCS clusters
15 December 2025
Net zero is not the problem for the UK’s power system. The real issue is with an outdated market design in desperate need of modernisation
28 November 2025
The launch of the bloc’s emissions trading system in 2005 was a pioneering step, but as the scheme hits 21 its impact as a driver of decarbonisation is still open to debate
