This article is the English version of Laura Cozzi and Thomas Spencer, « L’énergie à l’ère de la nouvelle géopolitique », published in Politique étrangère (Vol. 91, No. 2, 2026) which celebrates the journal’s 90th anniversary.

The world remains hungry for energy. It is a crucial input to modern economies and fuels welfare improvements for the billions of people in developing countries. The secure, affordable and sustainable flow of energy is a core concern of national policymakers everywhere. At the international level, policymakers recognize that energy security requires cooperation. For this reason, they have invested in international organizations like the International Energy Agency (IEA), which was established in 1974 after the first oil shock with a mandate to support the energy security of its member countries. However, the energy system is changing, and with this change, the nature of energy security is also shifting. Four major trends are restructuring the global energy system.

Firstly, emerging markets and developing economies have become a larger share of global energy consumption. In 2000, they accounted for less than half of global energy demand. Today, they account for two-thirds, and more than half of global consumption of both oil and natural gas. […]

Read the rest of the article here.

Find the table of contents for the anniversary issue (No. 2/2026) of Politique étrangère here.

>>> More articles of Politique étrangère are available for reading on Cairn International. <<<