Daily Mail: IEA warns of “lockdown 2.0” risk amid Middle East tensions

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has raised concerns over a potential “lockdown 2.0” as conflicts in the Middle East threaten global oil supplies, according to the Daily Mail.

Last week, the IEA released its report “Sheltering From Oil Shocks”, outlining 10 measures governments could adopt in the event of supply disruptions, particularly if the Strait of Hormuz — a major oil transit route — is blocked.

Recommendations include a call for employers to expand remote work options, lower highway speed limits, and reduce the number of flights to ease the strain on global supply chains. In addition, the IEA proposed shifting travel from private cars to public transportation and adding three additional workdays per week for employees who meet the relevant criteria. This measure is intended to help countries reduce national oil consumption by passenger cars by 2–6 per cent.

“Reducing speed limits on highways by six miles per hour can cut fuel use for individual drivers by 5–10 per cent and lower nationwide oil consumption for private cars by 1–6 per cent,” the report notes.

Online, many users have drawn parallels between these measures and the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020, fueling public anxiety over the potential economic and social impact.