Energy security threat now greatest in history

The world is now facing the biggest energy security threat in history, a sector leader has warned.

Fatih Birol, the head of the International Energy Agency, urged governments to strengthen their resilience by focusing on non-fossil fuel energy sources.

In an interview with CNBC he said nuclear power and renewables are expected to be boosted by the crisis, with a significant increase in the uptake of electric cars.

However, he said coal “may also see a push and go back up, especially in some big countries in Asia”.

In an interview with The Guardian, Birol also commented on calls by the oil industry for increased North Sea drilling amid continued debate over the Jackdaw and Rosebank fields.

Birol said the fields “would not change much for the UK’s energy security, nor would they change the price of oil and gas”.