Portugal calls for multilateral responses to global energy crisis stressing the links between energy security, climate action and the SDGs

At the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Special Meeting on “Safeguarding Energy and Supply Flows: Supporting Global Development through International Cooperation”, Portugal underscored the need to strengthen international cooperation in response to current disruptions affecting global energy markets and supply chains, highlighting their particularly severe impact on developing countries.

In its statement, Portugal emphasized that the current crisis demonstrates the high economic, social, and strategic costs associated with fossil fuel dependency and fragile global supply chains. Portugal also advocated for an approach focused on resilience, energy diversification, and the acceleration of the transition towards renewable energy sources as essential elements for ensuring energy security, economic stability, and sustainable development. This energy transition needs to be just and inclusive, within and among countries, particularly those in a more vulnerable situation. In this context, Portugal reiterated the importance of innovative climate finance, from all sources, and institutional capacity-building to support national efforts aimed at strengthening resilience and advancing sustainable energy transitions.

The meeting confirmed the growing centrality of energy and supply chain security within the international sustainable development agenda, as well as the close interlinkages between energy security, economic stability, climate action, and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).