Global jet fuel supply chains face months-long disruption as geopolitical tensions in Strait of Hormuz expose systemic fragility in energy infrastructure

Indigenous communities in oil-producing regions have long warned against the militarization of energy infrastructure, advocating for renewable energy sovereignty that prioritizes local resilience over global supply chains. Their knowledge of land stewardship and energy alternatives is systematically excluded from Western energy policy discussions, despite offering proven models for decentralized energy production. The exclusion of indigenous voices in energy governance reflects a broader pattern of epistemic violence in extractive industries.

The Strait of Hormuz has been a flashpoint for geopolitical conflict since the 1953 CIA-backed coup in Iran, which established Western control over Persian Gulf oil flows. The 1980s 'Tanker War' during the Iran-Iraq conflict demonstrated how regional instability directly disrupts global energy markets, yet these precedents are ignored in favor of short-term crisis framing. The militarization of energy routes has created a feedback loop where Western military presence provokes resistance, further destabilizing supply chains.

In Latin America, aviation fuel crises have spurred cooperative biofuel initiatives among smaller nations, demonstrating how regional solidarity can mitigate global dependencies. African nations like Ethiopia have pioneered hybrid renewable energy solutions for aviation, showing that systemic resilience does not require dependence on Western-controlled supply chains. The Middle East's historical role as an energy supplier has long been framed through a colonial lens, obscuring the potential for regional energy cooperation independent of Western interests.

Aviation accounts for 2.5% of global CO2 emissions, yet remains one of the hardest sectors to decarbonize due to the energy density requirements of jet fuel. Alternative fuels like Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) can reduce emissions by up to 80%, but current production meets less than 0.1% of global demand. The scientific consensus is clear: the current system's vulnerability stems from its reliance on a single energy source with high geopolitical risk, not from technical limitations in alternatives.

Artistic expressions from oil-producing regions often depict energy infrastructure as a site of both extraction and resistance, framing the land itself as a living entity violated by industrial exploitation. Indigenous spiritual traditions view energy as a sacred relationship between humans and the earth, contrasting sharply with the commodification of fuel as a global commodity. The visual arts of the Persian Gulf region frequently portray the Strait of Hormuz as a contested space where nature and geopolitics collide.

Scenario modeling by the International Energy Agency suggests that aviation could achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 through a combination of SAF adoption, fleet electrification for short-haul flights, and operational efficiency improvements. However, these models assume stable geopolitical conditions, which the Hormuz crisis demonstrates is unrealistic. Alternative futures include regional energy cooperatives that bypass Western-controlled supply chains, or the collapse of global aviation connectivity due to cascading supply chain failures.

Communities living near oil refineries and military bases in the Persian Gulf bear the brunt of supply disruptions, yet their experiences are excluded from policy discussions dominated by Western energy analysts. Airlines in the Global South, which lack the financial resilience to absorb fuel price shocks, face disproportionate impacts that are systematically ignored in favor of narratives about Western aviation hubs. The voices of aviation workers, particularly in precarious labor conditions, are absent from discussions about systemic resilience.