DHAHRAN: Aramco’s president and CEO has called for a fundamental shift in global energy transition planning, warning that the current approach risks severe economic and energy security consequences.
The planning of global energy transitioning needs a fundamental shift as the current approach is a severe economic risk, said Amin Nasser.
Delivering a keynote speech at CERAWeek 2025 in Houston on Monday, Nasser stressed the urgent need for a new global energy model that balanced sustainability, security, and affordability.
He pointed to annual funding needs of up to $8 trillion that would be required for global climate action and cautioned that neglecting conventional energy sources in the transition process could lead to dire outcomes, describing it as a “fast track to dystopia.”
Criticizing the belief that traditional energy sources could be rapidly phased out, Nasser said: “The greatest transition fiction was that conventional energy could be almost entirely replaced, virtually overnight. Hydrocarbons still provide over 80 percent of primary energy in the US, almost 90 percent in China, and even in the EU it is more than 70 percent.”
He added: “New sources add to the energy mix and complement existing sources; they do not replace them. New sources cannot even meet the growth in demand, while the proven sources needed to fill the gap are demonized and discarded. It is a fast track to dystopia, not utopia.”
Nasser also stressed that a new global energy model was essential to meet rising energy demand.
He said: “First, all sources must play a growing role in meeting rising energy demand in a balanced, integrated manner. Certainly, that includes new and alternative energy sources but they will complement conventional energy, not replace it in any meaningful way.
“So, we need investments in all sources. And to further free up such investments globally, we need extensive deregulation and greater incentives for financial institutions to provide unbiased financing. Second, the model must genuinely serve the needs of developed and developing nations alike, as originally promised, especially when it comes to technology. Third, and crucially, this has to be about delivering real results.”
Addressing the importance of reducing emissions, Nasser added that environmental concerns should remain at the forefront but must be approached pragmatically.
He said: “Let me be absolutely clear: This does not mean stepping back from our global climate ambitions. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions must still get the highest possible priority.
“That means prioritizing technologies that drive efficiency, lower energy use, and further reduce greenhouse gas emissions from conventional energy — and AI (artificial intelligence) will clearly be a game-changing enabler. But the future of energy is not only about sustainability; security and affordability must share the stage, with all energy sources working in harmony as one team, delivering real results.”
CERAWeek is one of the world’s most influential energy conferences, bringing together industry leaders, government officials, policymakers, and CEOs to discuss critical issues such as energy security, supply, climate, technology, and sustainability.
More than 10,000 participants from over 2,000 companies and 80 countries are attending this year’s event, which features over 1,400 expert speakers.
