The closure of the Strait of Hormuz showed how quickly a regional conflict can throw global energy markets into chaos. By pushing governments toward coal and biofuels, the war could accelerate deforestation and undermine climate negotiations, with environmental consequences that will linger long after the fighting ends.
RIO DE JANEIRO—Six months into the Iran war, the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz continues to rattle the global economy. Traders and governments are watching for signs of escalation, while households and companies are paying more for fuel and fearing energy shortages. But the war is also taking a deeper, albeit less visible, environmental toll, driving up carbon dioxide emissions and undermining international cooperation on climate change. And unlike high oil prices, those costs will not disappear when the war ends.
