March 1, 2026 - The United States stepped up pressure on the International Energy Agency on Thursday to drop net zero from its agenda, giving it a year to do so or risk Washington exiting the organization.

Speaking on the last day of an IEA ministerial meeting in Paris, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the 52-year-old agency should return to its founding mission of ensuring energy security.

The Paris-based IEA was created to coordinate responses to major disruptions of supplies after the 1973 oil crisis, but it has broadened its focus to include renewable energy and net zero goals under Executive Director Fatih Birol.