Many households were already doing it tough, and now petrol prices are rising fast.
Like many others, you may be watching the escalating conflict in Iran and neighbouring countries. You may be feeling worried, sad or uncertain – the human cost of war is devastating.
At the same time, we’re facing urgent pressures here at home on energy availability and prices. Rightfully, many people are wondering: what can we do to protect Australia, or ourselves?
It’s an important moment to remember that action is an antidote to anxiety.1
Many in our community are already taking back control of their energy: switching their gas cooktop for induction, using active and public transport, and opting for electric cars and appliances.
Please take a minute to share what you’re doing through this short form. We’ll use your responses to help inform a practical guide we’re creating to share with our community to help others take action, too.
Share the steps you’re taking to use less oil and gas in your day-to-day life.
Decision makers are weighing up what measures to take in response to this war.
So it’s important that we all understand what this war means for energy and climate. Here’s a simple way to explain it to others:
1. When global fuel prices jump, Australians pay.
We saw this in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine, when average power bills in Australia rose by around $400 a year and petrol prices surged.2Now, our petrol and diesel prices are through the roof again, and it’s not a coincidence. It’s how our energy system was designed.
2. Why does this keep happening?
A huge share of the world’s oil and gas moves through a small number of global ‘choke points’ – like the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman.
When those are disrupted, supply tightens and prices rise globally.3
We’re not immune, because Australia buys and sells oil and gas on the global market. In fact, we import more than 90% of our refined oil products, like petrol and diesel.4
That makes us vulnerable.
3. If less oil and gas is flowing… isn’t that good for climate?
In reality, short-term disruptions don’t reduce overall demand – they only drive price spikes and instability.
Perversely, moments like these can lead to calls from the industry for more fossil fuel expansion, not less.5
That’s what we’re fighting against. Because getting off fossil fuels altogether – and scaling up renewables faster – is a true energy security solution, and climate solution.
4. More fossil fuels don’t protect us, they keep us exposed.
Australia is among the largest gas exporters in the world, but we export 80% of it and our domestic prices are still tied to global markets.
That’s why Australians can pay such high prices, even when we produce plenty. More gas doesn’t stop us competing with the rest of the world for our own energy.
5. What actually protects us?
The renewable energy, storage and electrification that we’re already rolling out at home.
Solar and wind can’t be held hostage, or cut off by overseas conflict. We have abundant natural resources to tap into. Once transport is electrified, we’ll no longer rely on imported petrol and diesel, and all-electric homes shift us off gas.
Doubling down on fossil fuels today will only make us more vulnerable tomorrow. We already have cleaner, cheaper, reliable renewable energy, storage and electrification options to power our communities and get around.6
We just need more of them, faster.
I know moments like this can feel overwhelming.
But finding ways to take back control in your own day-to-day life, and having a clear way of explaining what’s happening to others, can help.
Being part of a community that is helping to cut through the crap and confusion with facts and determination. 
With gratitude, Dinah Arndt Head of Strategic Communications, Climate Council.
P.S. Check out our full explainer on why clean energy is our best defence against global fuel shocks. The faster Australia switches to renewables, the more protected Australians will be.
P.P.S. You’re not alone if you’re feeling worried about everything that’s going on. But action is an antidote to anxiety. Fill in this short form to share one thing you’re doing to cut fossil fuel use – and we’ll include it in a practical guide for supporters.
References:
1. Climate Anxiety Toolkit – Climate Council
2. Power Games: Who’s driving high power bills? – Climate Council
3. Fuel Shock: Why clean energy is our best defence – Climate Council
4. Liquid Fuel Security Review – Department of Industry, Science, Energy & Resources
5. Gas Market Lessons from the 2022-2023 Energy Crisis – IEA
6. Power Surge: Renewable energy hits record high as coal splutters – Climate Council