Can geopolitical risk improve energy efficiency in European countries?

The European countries are highly dependent on energy imports, making them vulnerable to international geopolitical threats. In this context, improving energy efficiency emerges as a cost-effective solution. The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of geopolitical risk (GPR) on energy efficiency for 18 European countries during 1991–2020 using the Dumitrescu Hurlin Panel Causality test, instrumental variable quantile regression (IVQR) model, and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The study found that GPR has a positive impact on energy efficiency in higher quantities. This trend might be due to the fact that countries with high energy efficiency are better equipped to face GPR, thanks to their investments in infrastructure, particularly renewable energy technology.