Global fossil fuel markets have entered a period of permanent instability because the decades-old security systems that once guaranteed steady supplies are breaking down, according to the authors of the newly released report. This shift from temporary shocks to a fundamentally fragile system is driven by rising international conflicts and the loss of the United States’ role as a stabilizing force in energy trade.
The report states that “The architecture that kept fossil fuels flowing reliably for seven decades is starting to show cracks,” noting that “The fossil fuel system, reliant on continuous trade through a handful of chokepoints, is becoming more fragile, not less.”
In simple terms, the world used to rely on a stable setup where major powers and clear trade routes made sure oil and gas moved smoothly across the globe. Now, that old arrangement is falling apart as countries fight more often and put up new trade barriers, making the entire process of getting fuel from one place to another much riskier and less predictable than it used to be.
The report “The energy security fall-out: from fossil fuel fragility to electric independence” was published by the energy think tank Ember on March 18, 2026. It was prepared by a team of authors led by Daan Walter, Sam Butler-Sloss, and Dave Jones.
