In many ways, we hit the jackpot when we discovered fossil fuels, a single-use ancient solar battery stored underground that has helped us grow more food, build modern infrastructure, travel further and live longer, healthier lives.
But the cheap, accessible nature of fossil fuels has come with significant costs, driving climate change, deforestation and habitat loss while fostering a dependency on a finite resource.
We are producing an increasing amount of renewable energy, but this is adding to, rather than replacing, fossil fuels, meaning our reliance on oil is undiminished.
However, fossil fuels are becoming harder and more expensive to extract and about half of the world’s conventional oil sits in the Middle East, with a significant share passing through the Strait of Hormuz, making a historically geopolitically unstable region critical to global oil supply.
With the complexity and interconnectedness of our energy system, when something goes wrong in one place, it ripples across the world, as we’re seeing now with the conflict in the Middle East affecting supply, prices, and confidence in future availability.
So, what does this mean for us in New Zealand, how do we improve our energy resilience and can we simply swap fossil fuels for renewables?
The reality is more complex.
While we generate about 85% of our electricity from renewable sources, we rely heavily on imported fossil fuels to power transport, infrastructure and industry, meaning changes in fuel prices flow through to everyday costs.
Fossil fuels are also embedded into everything we make, including infrastructure needed to capture renewable energy.
There is no single replacement for oil, especially for diesel and jet fuel, which still underpin heavy transport, aviation and food production.
Alternatives exist, but each comes with trade-offs in cost, scale and practicality.
In the short-term, we’re adapting to tighter, more expensive energy, in the longterm, we need to think about using it more deliberately, avoiding the pattern where efficiency leads to more consumption, so future generations still have options.
Start by looking at where energy shows up in your daily life. Small changes like walking, biking, carpooling, or improving home insulation can reduce your exposure to rising costs.
If you can, consider switching to electric options over time.
At home, reducing reliance on gas and improving energy efficiency can make a big difference.
At a community level, supporting local food, sharing resources and strengthening networks can build resilience.
For local businesses, the focus is on using less energy and staying flexible.
That might mean improving efficiency, reducing travel, or looking at alternative energy options.
Building financial buffers and avoiding long-term fixed costs can also help manage volatility.
Most importantly, look after each other. Stronger communities are more resilient communities.
