By Nassim Terzout

In today’s society, it is easy to see why fossil fuels are essential energy sources for our world to operate. Anything from powering your vehicle to energy generation from power plants usually relies on fossil fuels which emit a lot of greenhouse gases into our atmosphere. These emissions are one of the pillars of global warming and the “runaway greenhouse effect” (this effect is a cycle in which, as more emissions are emitted, more emissions get trapped due to their addition to the ozone layer) [4]. In this article we will look at why fossil fuels are important to our society and what efforts are being made to convert fossil fuel dependent industries into ones that flourish from renewable sources.

Currently, the priority for most people is the dollar. As a result, large countries like the United States and China rely on fossil fuels as their dominant choice in the energy sector. For example, as a student you would most likely purchase an old gas-powered car instead of an electric Tesla. Why? Because although sustainable solutions exist, they are not as affordable or require additional costs to attain [5]. This problem only worsens as we take a deeper look into the dependencies of our society. We must power millions of households, mine essential minerals, melt metals, and the list goes on. In each case the underlying problem is the same; we either do not have a solution at all, or we have one that comes at a higher cost. Given that money is a powerful motivating factor in our society, the affordability of fossil fuels makes them the ideal choice for many businesses.

So how do we make the transition to green energy in all sectors? Well, the transition is happening every day and it will not be immediate. Much of society depends on fossil fuels and is afraid to take a step into using renewable energy sources. Let us take a look into some current initiatives that are happening to speed up the process. Firstly, we have the concept of carbon taxes. Recall that one of the main reasons why fossil fuels are still in use is due to their low cost. Governments are now taxing companies and individuals based on how much carbon dioxide they produce [1]. This will incentivize transitioning to renewable energy as it will produce less carbon dioxide, and therefore decrease taxes for companies [3]. Another idea is more geared to the consumer: raising gas prices [2]. The cost of purchasing a modern vehicle may be cheaper than renewable alternatives, but gas prices and other fees may factor into the equation more heavily if they are increased. Since electric cars do not need gas, this will encourage consumers to choose electric because the cost will be comparable to a gas-powered car in the long run. Another effort that society is making to transition to renewable sources is to potentially create new laws. The United Kingdom is one of the first countries to speculate banning internal combustion engines by 2030 [6]. Some companies are already adjusting by constructing fully electric vehicles in case these laws are enforced. The Porsche Taycan is one example of a solution to this scenario, so it seems that laws could be the most effective means of change.

We can’t be certain of when we will see a world that is built on renewable energy, but we can be sure that efforts are being made globally to speed up the process. It may take decades or just a few years, but it appears that we are inevitably transitioning into a renewable world.

References

[1] Home. (n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2021, from https://www.carbontax.org/whats-a-carbon-tax/#:~:text=A%20carbon%20tax%20is%20a,destabilizing%20and%20destroying%20our%20climate

[2] PUTTING A PRICE ON VEHICLE EMISSIONS IS BETTER POLICY THAN IT SEEMS. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://energypolicy.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/pictures/CGEP_Commentary_VehicleEmissionsCarbonTax_.pdf

[3] CRS Automotive. (2020, November 16). Is Carbon Tax Bad for Canadian Auto-Production? Retrieved January 28, 2021, from https://www.crsautomotive.com/is-carbon-tax-bad-for-canadian-auto-production/

[4] (n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2021, from http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~blackman/ast104/vgreenhouse.html

[5] LbgStevy, Eugene Diord, Billynaict, & AndresRar. (2019, June 26). Why are eco-friendly products so damn expensive? Retrieved January 28, 2021, from https://www.seastainable.co/blogs/seastainable-blog/why-are-eco-friendly-products-so-damn-expensive#:~:text=The%20reason%20why%20eco%2Dfriendly,a%20higher%20degree%20of%20difficulty.&text=In%20terms%20of%20agricultural%20products,friendly%20procedures%20are%20more%20expensive.

[6] Twidale, S. (2020, November 17). Britain to ban new petrol cars by 2030 on road to net zero emissions. Retrieved January 28, 2021, from https://www.reuters.com/article/climate-change-britain/britain-to-ban-new-petrol-cars-by-2030-on-road-to-net-zero-emissions-idUSKBN27Y19R?edition-redirect=ca

Energy and Society: The Transition from Fossil Fuels