In Coimbatore, India, 35-year-old Alagesan risks shutting down his roadside snack shop due to a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) shortage. He stated, "I am far away from the Middle East, but my life is affected. The gas cylinder is not available because of the war. I don’t know what to do." This situation exemplifies a global fuel crisis impacting lives worldwide, driven by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil transit route.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol warned that the war in the Middle East is creating "a major energy crisis, including the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market." He added, "In the absence of a swift resolution, the impacts on energy markets and economies are set to become more and more severe." With the Strait of Hormuz—through which one-fifth of the world's oil travels—nearly impassable, oil prices have risen to about $100 per barrel on international markets, leading to increased costs for gasoline and other goods.

In India, Gangesh, 57, spoke of the LPG crisis and "rationing." The country imports about 60% of its LPG, 90% of which is routed through the Strait of Hormuz. Since the strait closed, only a fraction of daily demand has been met. One woman from the region reported "a 35-day wait for the next instalment of gas cylinders." Gangesh added that "most hotels are suffering the worst shortage" with "a large number of eateries shutting down leading to unemployment."

In the UK, Sue, 73, a semi-retired teacher, has "banned" car use except for her husband's hospital trips, relying on a bike and tricycle instead. In Massachusetts, USA, Katie, 71, who supports a medically disabled adult son, is "already dealing with rising health costs and choosing between food and gasoline." She said, "We now consider carefully almost every mile we must drive and are trying to cut back expenses every way we can."

In Scotland, Anne, 50, a manager, noted that the price for 1,000 litres of paraffin heating oil surged from £600 to £1,450, which is "out of reach." They have no heating despite it being "freezing in Perthshire," resorting to traditional methods like cutting wood from fallen trees and using hot-water bottles. In Devon, UK, Amanda, 48, has also drastically cut back on heating oil use, as "we only have about three weeks’ worth of heating oil left" and cannot afford current prices.

In Australia, New South Wales, Alex, 46, a community services worker, has reduced driving and increased public transport use due to petrol price hikes and panic buying. She expressed, "I’m concerned about how it [the war] will drive up fuel prices, but mostly I’m just sad and horrified about the violence and loss of life. War isn’t about security or defending borders. War is what greed looks like in public." This highlights the human toll of the global shortage.

Source: www.theguardian.com