Clean Tech Enhances Resilience, Creates New Dependencies
News related to:S&P Global · 2 min read
ANTALYA, Türkiye, Nov. 12, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Clean tech can strengthen energy and economic resilience but creates new dependencies, according to a new report released by S&P Global during COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye.
One of the key findings of the report is that higher oil-import dependence is associated with an extra 0.25 percentage point GDP loss two years after an oil supply shock. This underscores the importance of reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels to mitigate economic risks.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are estimated to displace 1.9 million barrels per day of oil demand in 2026, yet create new dependencies on China, which dominates nearly all parts of the clean tech supply chain. This dependency extends beyond China's domestic market, as China exported nearly 2.5 million EVs in the first half of 2026, more than double the year-earlier period. This highlights the need for supply chain diversification to ensure macroeconomic resilience.
The report also notes that Europe's renewables expansion has helped reduce exposure to energy shocks. Non-hydro renewable generation in the EU has increased nearly 340 terawatt-hours (TWh) since 2021, a 70% increase over the 2016-2021 period. In 2026, clean tech investment in Europe is expected to more than double 2021 levels, further reinforcing the continent's resilience.
Lower oil-import dependence is associated with greater economic resilience, as countries that rely less on oil imports reduce the impact of oil supply shocks by around 0.25 percentage points. This underscores the importance of reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels to mitigate economic risks.
The report also highlights the need for managing concentrated supply chains and new external dependencies, particularly those related to China, as clean technology adoption extends beyond climate objectives to strengthen countries' resilience to energy supply and price shocks. This shift in energy security requires a more comprehensive understanding of the interconnected forces of geopolitics, technology, and capital flows.
S&P Global's analysis suggests that clean technology investment can deliver benefits that extend beyond climate objectives by strengthening countries' resilience to energy supply and price shocks. However, the nature of energy security is changing, as economies electrify, making supply chain diversification increasingly important to macroeconomic resilience.
The report concludes that while clean technology adoption can strengthen energy and economic resilience, it also creates new dependencies, particularly on China. Managing these dependencies will be crucial for countries seeking to build more resilient and sustainable energy systems.