Fossil fuel dependence, conflicts driving global economic instability– UN climate chief
Benin, April 2026 (TBL Africa)The Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change, Simon Stiell, has warned that escalating global conflicts and continued reliance on fossil fuels are fueling inflation, slowing economic growth, and increasing debt burdens worldwide.
Stiell made this known on Tuesday at the Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin, Germany.
He noted that the global energy landscape had become increasingly unstable due to geopolitical tensions, with significant consequences on nations and households.
He said “fossil-fuel driven stagflation is now stalking economies, driving up prices, driving down growth, pushing budgets deeper into quagmires of debt and stripping away governments’ policy options.”
The UN climate chief added that international climate cooperation remained the most effective path to stabilising economies and ensuring energy security, stressing that “climate cooperation is key to fending off the twin-reapers of global heating and fossil fuel cost chaos.”
He noted that clean energy offered a route to affordability, resilience and national sovereignty.
He further emphasised the need to move beyond commitments under the Paris Agreement to concrete implementation.
He said “in this era of implementation, we must turn commitments into projects on the ground, by breaking down global targets into achievable actions and delivering results.”
According to him, while global climate negotiations have yielded landmark agreements, including outcomes from COP28, the focus must now shift to scaling real-world actions and financing, especially in developing countries.
Stiell identified key priority areas such as clean energy transition, grid modernisation, methane reduction and climate-resilient food systems as critical to reducing emissions and strengthening economic stability.
“The need to accelerate action has never been clearer,” he said.
He called on governments and stakeholders to deepen collaboration and investment ahead of future global climate assessments.
The Petersberg Climate Dialogue brought together ministers from more than 40 countries, expected to build momentum for enhanced climate action and implementation ahead of upcoming global climate summits.
