As flames engulfed Kharkiv’s power infrastructure last month, plunging Ukraine’s second-largest city into darkness, Mark Carney stood before an audience in Ottawa outlining what may become Canada’s most consequential diplomatic initiative of the decade.
“Energy security is national security,” declared the former Bank of England governor who now serves as Canada’s G7 sherpa. The statement came amid his broader vision for Canada’s 2025 G7 presidency—a role that thrusts our nation into the center of global energy politics at a moment of unprecedented volatility.
Having recently returned from covering the NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels, I’ve witnessed firsthand how energy diplomacy has become the invisible front in modern geopolitical conflicts. Canada’s upcoming G7 leadership represents a rare convergence of opportunity and obligation that could reshape Western energy strategy for decades.
“The weaponization of energy resources has created cascading economic shocks across Europe,” explained Maria Pastukhova, senior policy advisor at E3G, a climate change think tank, during our conversation at her Brussels office. “Canada’s G7 presidency arrives at a critical inflection point between energy transition and security needs.”
Carney’s announcement positions clean energy infrastructure at the heart of Canada’s G7 agenda. This represents a strategic pivot from viewing renewable energy primarily through a climate lens to recognizing it as foundational to national defense and economic resilience.
The Canadian approach emphasizes three interconnected priorities: securing critical minerals supply chains, building renewable energy capacity, and hardening energy infrastructure against both cyber and physical attacks. These elements form what Carney terms a “comprehensive security framework” that extends beyond traditional military considerations.
Statistics from the International Energy Agency underscore the urgency. Global investment in clean energy reached $1.7 trillion in 2023, finally surpassing fossil fuel spending. Yet this transition remains perilously vulnerable to supply chain disruptions and geopolitical interference.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine demonstrated with brutal clarity how energy dependence creates political leverage. European nations scrambled to replace Russian natural gas, driving price spikes that the European Commission estimates cost EU citizens over €300 billion in 2022 alone.
“We’ve learned energy sovereignty is non-negotiable,” France’s Minister of Economy and Finance Bruno Le Maire told me during last month’s IMF meetings in Washington. “The question is whether Western democracies can coordinate quickly enough to secure the critical resources needed for energy transition before strategic competitors lock them up.”
Canada possesses approximately 31% of the world’s critical minerals necessary for clean energy technologies. This geological fortune positions Ottawa as a potential counterweight to China’s dominance in processing these resources. Beijing currently controls over 70% of global rare earth element processing capacity according to U.S. Geological Survey data.
Walking through downtown Ottawa the day after Carney’s announcement, I spoke with several citizens about Canada’s enhanced global role. “We’ve always been the quiet middle power,” said Janet McMillan, a public policy consultant. “Taking leadership on energy security feels like Canada stepping into responsibilities that match our actual capabilities.”
Not everyone shares this optimism. Resource development remains contentious across Canada, particularly regarding Indigenous land rights and environmental impacts. During my conversation with Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, he emphasized that “energy security cannot come at the expense of Indigenous sovereignty or environmental protection.”
The Trudeau government faces the delicate task of balancing domestic political pressures with international leadership. Canadian polling firm Abacus Data recently found that while 76% of Canadians support reducing dependence on authoritarian regimes for energy resources, support fractures when specific projects are proposed near communities.
Beyond domestic challenges, Canada must navigate complex relationships within the G7 itself. Germany continues ramping up renewable capacity after its painful divorce from Russian natural gas. Japan remains heavily dependent on imported fossil fuels following the Fukushima disaster. The United States, meanwhile, has emerged as both an energy superpower and Canada’s chief competitor for investment in clean technology manufacturing.
“The G7 isn’t monolithic on energy strategy,” explained Robert Habeck, Germany’s Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, during our meeting in Berlin last week. “But there’s growing consensus that economic prosperity requires secure access to both traditional and renewable energy sources during this transition period.”
Carney appears to recognize these complexities. His proposal incorporates financing mechanisms for developing nations, acknowledging that energy security in G7 countries cannot come at the expense of Global South development.
The proposed Canada-led Critical Minerals Security Initiative would establish shared standards for responsible mining while pooling resources to accelerate production. This multilateral approach represents a direct challenge to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which has secured Beijing preferential access to resources across Africa and Latin America.
“When democratic nations fail to offer compelling alternatives, we shouldn’t be surprised when countries accept financing from authoritarian states,” observed Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, during our interview at the organization’s Paris headquarters.
Standing on Parliament Hill as Carney concluded his remarks, I was struck by how this moment represents both opportunity and responsibility. Energy security isn’t merely about keeping lights on—it’s about preserving democratic autonomy in an era where resource control increasingly dictates geopolitical power.
Canada’s G7 presidency begins January 1, 2025. Between now and then, Ottawa must transform aspirational rhetoric into concrete policy frameworks that address both immediate security concerns and long-term transition goals. The success of this endeavor may well determine whether Western democracies can maintain energy sovereignty while navigating the climate crisis.
As I prepare to cover the preliminary G7 ministerial meetings next month, one thing is clear: Canada’s moment on the global stage has arrived, and energy security will be its defining challenge.
