Dhaka, June 27 -- The war between Israel and Iran has underscored Asia's heavy reliance on oil and gas from the Middle East and its sluggish progress in transitioning to renewable energy - vulnerabilities made worse by the region's dependence on shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait of Hormuz, bordering Iran, is a critical route for nearly 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies. China, India, Japan, and South Korea collectively account for 75% of those imports.

According to research group Zero Carbon Analytics, Japan and South Korea are the most exposed to risks from disruptions in the strait, followed by India and China, all of which have been slow to scale up renewable energy.

In 2023, renewab...