Whether you like it or hate it, the war in Iran has definitely had the effect of exposing some of the ridiculous fantasies in the world to a serious dose of reality. Consider the UK. After implementing an expansive welfare state in the latter 20th century (e.g., free health care for all!), the UK since 2000 has gone all-in on the idea of an energy system free of hydrocarbon fuels. The 2008 Climate Change Act — passed with an overwhelming majority including support from all major political parties — committed the UK to 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050. That mandate was then amended in 2019 to make the legally-binding target for 2050 what is known as “net zero” carbon emissions. That change was passed essentially unanimously in Parliament, without even a recorded vote.
Here in the 21st century, the UK has pursued its Net Zero fantasy with a vengeance. Wind turbines and solar panels now cover the countryside. Many power plants that use coal or other fossil fuels have been closed. Perhaps most important, the UK has banned essentially all exploration for and development of fossil fuel energy within its own borders, including offshore in territorial waters. Although there are large shale-gas formations beneath the UK, the practice of “fracking” to exploit them has been subject to a moratorium since 2019, and the current Labour government has vowed to make that moratorium permanent. The current government has also not issued any new licenses for drilling for oil or gas in the North Sea, and says it will continue that policy, although a small amount of drilling continues under pre-existing licences.
The logic of these policies appears simple : carbon emissions damage the environment, and after all, we can get all the energy we need from the free and abundant wind and sun. Then into this mix has dropped the Iran war, and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Maybe things were not as simple as they had seemed. As Harold Macmillan replied when asked what had been the most troubling problem of his Prime Ministership, ‘Events, my dear boy, events,’ was his reply.
The National Archives UK, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
In the past few days, a serious shortage of aviation fuel has arisen in the UK. The shortage is not exclusive to the UK, but apparently is particularly acute here. From the Daily Mail 30/3………
[The] Iran war has continued to wreak havoc on the aviation industry, and the UK could soon be experiencing a jet fuel shortage. The last known shipment of jet fuel to Britain from the Middle East is expected to arrive within 48 hours amid alarm over shortages within a week. Data providers say the consignment on the Libyan-flagged Maetiga vessel is expected to reach the UK from Saudi Arabia on Maundy Thursday. The blockage of the Strait of Hormuz due to the ongoing conflict means no other cargoes heading to the UK from the region can be seen on the water, they added.
What, you mean the wind and sun aren’t going to work to fly the airplanes? It’s almost impossible to believe how naive and detached from reality these people are. The wind and sun are also not going to work to run industry, agriculture, or ground transportation. And for that matter, they are not going to work to provide continuous, reliable electricity, which is the only type of electricity worth having. But the immediate crunch is hitting the aviation fuel business. The Donald added oil to the fire with a message that you may have seen, telling the UK and other European countries to “Go get your own oil.” They have been living in a circle jerk fantasy world, where the U.S. defence umbrella has meant that they never have had to face reality. If this turns out to be the event that breaks the hold the Net Zero nonsense has over our political classes, so much the better – for all of us – but prepare for a bumpy ride in the short term.
© DJM 2026
