WHAT ABOUT WHAT JUST HAPPENED? (SPRING 2026)

We often finish a recording and think of more things we wish we’d said. Or something happens days after that would have been key to mention.

In this episode, James and Daisy catch up on those “missing pieces” from 2026 so far. How might the Iran war impact the energy transition? What is on the COP31 Action Agenda? What happened at the first conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels?

“Sunlight has to travel 93 million miles to reach the Earth, but none of those miles go through the Strait of Hormuz.” – Bill McKibben.

SOME RECOMMENDATIONS:

Outrage + Optimism (2026) – Listen to this podcast episode on how the Iran crisis proves just how dangerously dependent the global economy is on fossil fuels.
Michael Liebreich (2026) – The Electrification Staircase is a framework that tries to answer the question: “What should we be rolling out right now at speed, versus treating like a pilot or a trial for commercialisation in coming decades”.
Holcim Foundation – An independent non-profit organisation dedicated to accelerating sustainable construction worldwide. Holcim UK, alongside the Holcim Innovation Centre in Lyon, has produced a net zero concrete using an innovative mix containing biochar produced from coppiced wood and spent coffee grounds collected from Canary Wharf coffee shops.
FT (2026) – Piece by Pilita Clark on “the messy, chaotic and possibly quixotic quest to phase out fossil fuels.”

OTHER ADVOCATES AND RESOURCES:

IEA (2026) – The IEA’s Executive Director Fatih Birol says the combined impacts of the disruption to oil and gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on energy infrastructure across the Middle East amount to "the greatest threat to global energy security in history." Around 25% of the world’s seaborne oil trade transited the Strait in 2025. About 80% of oil and oil products transiting the Strait in 2025 was destined for Asia.
WRI (2026) – Describes how countries with abundant clean energy are faring better with the fuel shortages and price spikes caused by the Iran war.
Ember (2025) – Analysis showing how growth in emerging markets turbocharged global EV sales in 2025.
The Guardian (2026) – Last year, Ethiopia became the first country to ban imports of combustion engine vehicles. Now, Ethiopia sees roughly 115,000 EVs on its roads out of a total of 1.5m cars in the country.
Data Center Watch – A research project that tracks grassroots opposition to data center development across the United States.
NY Times (2026) – The “hyperscalers” have forecast spending $710 billion on data centers across North America in 2026. However, according to Data Center Watch, at least $156 billion across 48 projects with publicly disclosed values was blocked or stalled amid coordinated local opposition in 2025.
UNFCCC (2026) – COP31 President-Designate Murat Kurum’s first letter outlining the 2026 Action Agenda and naming Sally Higgins as Youth Climate Champion.
FT (2026) – Sir Christopher Hohn’s hedge fund TCI has dumped almost all of its $8bn stake in US software giant Microsoft, telling investors that artificial intelligence poses a threat to the company’s dominant software products.
Carbon Brief (2026) – A summary of the first summit on ‘transitioning away’ from fossil fuels which saw 57 countries – representing one-third of the world’s economy – debate practical ways to move away from coal, oil and gas. Countries including China, Russia, the US, and India were not invited.

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Music: “Just Because Some Bad Wind Blows” by Nick Nuttall, Reptiphon Records. Available at https://nicknuttallmusic.bandcamp.com/album/just-because-some-bad-wind-blows-3

Producer: Podshop Studios

Huge thanks to Siobhán Foster, a vital member of the team offering design advice, critical review and organisation that we depend upon.

Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on navigating the transition away from fossil fuels to a sustainable future.

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