Renewable energy investments are a moral and economic imperative

Budgets reveal our values. They tell us what we fear, what we protect and what kind of future we are willing to build.

As lawmakers begin work on funding international programs for the coming year, they face a choice that reaches far beyond budget spreadsheets. At a time when families are struggling with rising costs, wars continue to destabilize entire regions, and climate disruption is displacing millions, Congress can either deepen our dependence on the systems driving insecurity or invest in a more peaceful, resilient future.

For years, advocates have argued that renewable energy is essential for addressing climate change. As a Quaker, I believe caring for creation and our neighbors is a sacred responsibility — one that people of many faiths share. But beyond environmental stewardship, recent events have made it clear that renewable energy is also about human dignity, economic security and peace, helping to address some of the conditions that give rise to conflict in the first place.

The ongoing disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz offers a stark reminder of how deeply the global economy remains tied to fossil fuels. Roughly one-third of globally traded oil and a significant share of fertilizer inputs move through this narrow waterway. Since conflict in the region intensified, shipping disruptions have mounted, resulting in significant energy market volatility and skyrocketing costs of fuel and essential goods around the world. 

For families already struggling to make ends meet, especially in lower-income countries, these disruptions are not abstract economic indicators. They mean higher food prices, energy rationing, shrinking household budgets and difficult choices between necessities. Communities facing hunger become more vulnerable to instability and displacement. As the International Monetary Fund warns, disruptions to fertilizer shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are increasing concerns about global food prices, threatening food security for millions of people already facing hunger and economic hardship.

The effects are not hypothetical. Recent reports have shown that fertilizer prices have surged following disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz, with urea prices increasing by more than 50%. Farmers are facing higher input costs, and those increases inevitably ripple through the food system.

American families feel these impacts quickly. When oil prices rise, it costs more to transport food from farms to grocery stores, increasing totals at the checkout counter. When fertilizer prices climb, farmers pay more to grow crops that feed people and livestock, intensifying cost-of-living pressures around the world as consumers bear the brunt of these changes at the cash register. Ordinary families are being asked to carry the costs of an energy system that enriches a few while leaving communities everywhere vulnerable to conflict, instability and rising prices.

This is precisely why renewable energy investments matter.

Every solar panel installed, wind farm built, battery deployed and efficiency upgrade completed helps reduce dependence on the volatile fossil fuel markets that leave families and nations vulnerable to distant conflicts and economic shocks. Unlike oil and gas, renewable energy does not rely on tankers passing through geopolitical chokepoints or supply chains disrupted by war. Once in place, renewable energy can provide affordable, predictable power that helps shield households, businesses and entire communities from future price spikes.