Bovard began his remarks by paying tribute to those killed in the recent US-Israeli aggression against Iran, particularly the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, as well as innocent civilians, including children at the Minab school and athletes from the Lamerd sports club.
He warned that such acts of aggression have repercussions extending far beyond regional borders, threatening global energy supplies and economic development.
“US military interventions in various regions, including the Persian Gulf, and unilateral economic sanctions not only target the legitimate rights and interests of the Iranian nation but also negatively impact the climate of trust, investment security, and the predictability of global energy markets,” Bovard said.
Marking the 25th anniversary of the GECF, the acting oil minister called for a united front against what he described as unbalanced climate regulations. He specifically criticized mechanisms such as the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), warning that they could impose unfair restrictions on energy trade and investment.
Bovard also proposed an ambitious new roadmap for the GECF secretariat aimed at increasing natural gas’s share of the global energy mix to an unprecedented 30 percent.
According to the forum’s global gas outlook, worldwide demand for natural gas is projected to increase by 31 percent, exceeding 5,400 billion cubic meters (bcm) by 2055. Over the same period, natural gas’s share of the global energy mix is expected to rise from 23 percent to 26 percent.