Fossil fuels: How to end use dependency?

At the recent United Nations COP28, more than 200 countries recognized the global threat of fossil fuel dependence, highlighting shared environmental concerns. This historic consensus underlines a general awareness, despite the reluctance of some world leaders.

Fossil fuels

Fossil fuel use will reach record utilization in 2025

For the first time in history, representatives meeting in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, committed to finding a way to abandon the use of coal, oil and gas to stop climate change.

Until that time, agreements have been established that face challenges in their implementation. However, they lack clear actions to overcome dependency.

According to Justin Rowlatt, the BBC’s climate editor, in the coming years humanity will surpass the historical peak of fossil fuel consumption. However, at these levels of use, consumption will begin to gradually decrease and this can be accepted as an achievement that will benefit the planet.

The transition to a clean energy model raises uncertainties about its speed. The crucial question is whether it will happen before the planet’s capacity is compromised.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), fossil fuel use will peak by 2025. Fatih Birol, executive director of the IEA, says that year will see a “historic turning point.”

Vaclav Smil, an expert on energy and its global economic impact, expresses skepticism about the aforementioned speed. He considers that energy is the essential engine of the world economy, and also states that without energy there is no economy.

The solution: use alternative energies

The global economy annually moves 4 billion tons of cement, one billion tons of steel and 4 billion tons of fossil fuels. This determines, according to Smil, that we are a society dependent on fossil fuels.

Currently, 80% of the energy we use comes from fossil fuels.

At COP28, the reduction of environmental statistics was agreed. Wind and solar are alternative sources with great potential that have experienced notable advances. However, they represent only 12% of the energy used in 2022.

clean energy

Another expert, Chris Stark of the UK Climate Change Committee, is more optimistic. He believes that what was decided at COP28 will lead to electrifying everything, since electric devices tend to have greater efficiency than liquid fuel ones. He cites as an example electric cars that generate no carbon or heat under the hood.

He also believes that renewable energies only require a large investment for their installation. Then comes the savings, since both the sun and the wind are free.

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