Javier Blas, Columnist

Energy Security Is the Global Priority for 2023

The energy crisis is forcing governments to reconsider their priorities, and climate change has dropped down the list.

November 24, 2022 at 5:00 AM UTC

Javier Blas is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering energy and commodities. He is coauthor of “The World for Sale: Money, Power and the Traders Who Barter the Earth’s Resources.”

Japan can take the lead.
Photographer: JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP

Provide news feedback or report an error

Site feedback:

Take our Survey

This article is for subscribers only.

As nearly 200 nations gathered at the COP27 United Nations climate summit last week, Japan announced a little-noticed change that sheds light on what’s going on with global energy and climate change diplomacy behind the scenes. Without fanfare, Tokyo rebranded its state-owned natural resources company, which helps local companies to invest in overseas oil, natural gas and mining projects, as the “Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security.”

It may sound like a trivial name change, but it’s an important indication of where the priority lies for many nations, particularly in Asia. Energy security is top of mind.