The IEA’s Fatih Birol on global energy market resilience in a moment of crisis

  • Mon, April 13, 2026 • 12:30 pm ET
  • Atlantic Council Headquarters
  • 1400 L Street NW • Floor 11
  • Washington, DC 20005

AN AC FRONT PAGE EVENT—Fatih Birol discusses how the International Energy Agency is guiding governments and markets through a complex energy landscape.

On Monday, April 13 at 12:30 p.m. ET, the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center hosted an AC Front Page conversation featuring Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), at a pivotal moment for global energy markets.  

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is placing renewed focus on global energy security. In this conversation, Birol will discuss the recent energy-supply disruptions and how the IEA is responding to the crisis, including with members’ decisions this month to release oil from strategic stockpiles. He will also talk about how the IEA is guiding governments and markets through an increasingly complex energy landscape, shaped not only by today’s crisis but also by evolving demand patterns, emerging technologies, and other geopolitical risks.  

Featuring

Fatih Birol
Executive Director,
International Energy Agency

Welcome Remarks

Jenna Ben-Yehuda
Executive Vice President,
Atlantic Council

Moderated by

Helima Croft
Managing Director and Head of Global Commodity
Strategy and MENA Research,
RBC Capital Markets

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Podcast

May 1, 2026

The IEA’s Fatih Birol on ‘the greatest energy security threat in history’

By The Atlantic Council

The war in Iran continues with no clear end in sight, fueling economic turbulence and concerns of a global energy crisis. International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol spoke at an AC Front Page event on April 13th, and argued the conflict is the greatest energy security threat in history. He warned that oil prices will soon “converge” with the on-the-ground reality, knocking the global economy further into disarray.

Economy & Business European Union

An #ACFrontPage Event

Atlantic Council Front Page is our premier live ideas platform for global leaders to discuss the defining challenges of our time. #ACFrontPage is a high-level event series featuring top newsmakers across multiple digital platforms. #ACFrontPage harnesses the convening power and expertise of the Council’s programs and centers to spotlight the world’s most prominent leaders and the most compelling ideas across sectors and to engage new audiences eager for nonpartisan and constructive solutions to current global challenges.

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The Global Energy Center develops and promotes pragmatic and nonpartisan policy solutions designed to advance global energy security, enhance economic opportunity, and accelerate pathways to net-zero emissions.

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