In brief | 16 July ‘26

The Guardian: Iran threatens to halt all Middle East energy exports amid renewed US blockade 

Tehran shuts strait of Hormuz and carries out retaliatory strikes as Trump threatens to attack site linked to Iran’s nuclear programme.

Bloomberg: Germany cuts climate fund by over €30 billion through 2030 

Subsidies for heat pumps and incentives to promote electric mobility are among the programmes being targeted.

Reuters: German government plans €13.3 billion energy relief package for 2027

Package includes a ‌subsidy for electricity grid fees, as well as relief for energy-intensive industries through an industrial electricity price scheme and power-price compensation measures, which help offset costs linked to carbon pricing.

The Conversation: 20 years ago, China bet big on electric vehicles. Now Western carmakers are feeling the pain 

In 2025, Chinese factories produced almost 75 percent of the world’s electric vehicles (EVs), spelling trouble for Germany, Japan and the United States.

Euronews: Europe's energy use for cooling doubled in six years: Which countries use the most?

The last three years were the hottest on record globally. Energy consumption for cooling has also been rising, with household consumption in the EU doubling in just six years.