How Trump’s Iran war could make the world more reliant on coal

The energy crisis sparked by the war is making some countries consider ramping up their use of dirty fuels

Not two months in office, as the price of west Texas crude approached $14 a barrel, Jimmy Carter, then president, donned a cardigan to speak candidly about his strategy to face the permanent energy shortage he saw in the nation’s future.

His “fireside chat” is mostly remembered for asking Americans to lower the thermostat to 65F(18C) in the daytime and 55F at night, an idea that didn’t go down too well in the bitter winter of 1977.

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Why This Matters

The ongoing energy crisis sparked by the Iran war is putting pressure on countries to reconsider their reliance on fossil fuels, potentially leading to an increase in coal usage. This shift has significant implications for the global energy landscape. As the world grapples with the consequences of conflict-driven energy shortages, the UK is among the countries feeling the pinch.

In Week 14 2026, UK Politics accounted for 135 related article(s), with Other setting the broader headline context. Coverage of UK Politics decreased by 61 article(s) versus the prior week, but remained material in the weekly agenda.

Coverage Snapshot

Week 14 2026 included 135 UK Politics article(s). Leading outlets for this topic included Independent, BBC, Independent Business. Across that cluster, sentiment showed a mostly neutral skew (avg score 0.04).

Key Insights

Primary keywords: energy, iran, coal, fuels, millercenter.
Topic focus: UK Politics coverage with neutral sentiment.
Source context: reported by Guardian Business.
Published: 2026-04-05.
Published by Guardian Business, a widely cited major outlet.
Date context: published during Week 14 2026, when Other dominated weekly headlines.

Tone & Sentiment

The article tone is classified as neutral, driven by the language and emphasis in the summary.

Context

The current energy crisis echoes the 1970s energy shortages, which prompted President Jimmy Carter to address the nation on energy conservation. The Guardian and other outlets have highlighted the potential for coal to become a more prominent energy source in the wake of the Iran war. The UK's energy policy is under scrutiny as the country seeks to balance its energy needs with environmental concerns.

Related Topics

Donald Trump

Key Takeaway

In short, this article underscores key movement in UK Politics and explains why it matters now.

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Guardian Business How Trump’s Iran war could make the world more reliant on coal