Keir Starmer is right: Net Zero is a matter of a national security

30 April 2025, 08:04

‘Energy security is national security’.

These were the words of Keir Starmer in the past few days as he reiterated his government’s support for a low-carbon future at a conference of more than sixty countries in London.

What the Prime Minister was alluding to is a crucial point, and one that has been somewhat overlooked in the wider discussion around the push for decarbonisation.

Net Zero is a moral issue, it is an economic issue - it is also of course an existential issue for the future of humanity - but right now, with the state of geopolitics as it is, it is a defence issue.

The world economy is still very much feeling the intense shock of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with fossil fuel dependent countries that relied on Russia’s pipeline gas facing volatility and the wider market experiencing great disruption. The seismic effect of that event sent the clearest possible message in favour of energy resilience and self-sufficiency.

And the message is this: In an increasingly unstable world where geopolitical norms can no longer be taken for granted, it is naive not to view energy resilience and renewables infrastructure as a strategic necessity. 

The path towards energy independence is a long one beset by challenges, but as tensions continue to ratchet up and the global order is being reshaped (with the need for European energy self-sufficiency more evident than ever) instability is not going anywhere so the sooner we start the better. Countries not dedicating substantial resources to clean energy infrastructure are sure to feel the most acute shock in the event of another major destabilising flashpoint.

While it’s important to remember that the green transition will still rely heavily on international cooperation, like when it comes to securing the vital minerals needed to build the tech,  divesting from foreign fossil fuels to become more reliant on domestic wind and solar power makes it far harder for hostile nations to throw their weight around.

An improved energy infrastructure will also help future-proof the country when it comes to the emerging frontline of the future - AI. We’ve already seen AI deployed in conflicts and the race the technology has catalyzed has been identified as a modern version of the nuclear arms race. AI requires massive data centres to learn and run, energy centres that are well-documented to be significant energy users. If we’re not prepared through infrastructure to shoulder that massive power burden, our capabilities will be far outstripped by nations hostile to our interests.

There's also another advantage to seeing renewable energy infrastructure as a defence issue. It makes the importance of net zero much more vital when communicating it to the public.

Arguments in favour of decarbonisation have often focused on the morality of it or centred on abstract declarations. These messages can be effective but to those struggling to pay their energy bills, altruism and abstractions can come across as naive and distant. Especially when, as a policy area, it has proven to be a lightning rod for media criticism.

Instead, linking the push towards net zero with national defence (and crucially energy price stability) brings the argument home in a much more practical way. The response to those who would blame net zero for high energy bills is that the biggest spike in energy bills in living memory was caused by fossil fuel reliance.

The PM admitted in his speech that ‘we’re paying the price for our over-exposure’, and the cost is a heavy one in the form of skyrocketing bills and inflation. It can no longer be denied that investment in clean energy infrastructure is not just the right thing to do morally, but also strategically.

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Rob Stait is UK Country Manager for solar developer and leading power producer Alight.

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