Three connected gas platforms (they look like oil rigs) against a deep red sunset.

Fossil fuels

From energy and transport to plastic, our world relies on fossil fuels. But they’re one of the main causes of climate change, pollute the environment and harm people worldwide. For the future of our planet, we need to get off fossil fuels and switch to greener alternatives.

Fossil fuels are coal, oil and gas that are mined and burned to produce energy.

Burning them releases carbon emissions, a key cause of climate change and pollution which harm the environment and human health.

Despite government pledges to reduce emissions, fossil fuel emissions are reaching record highs. Getting off fossil fuels is vital to stop the climate crisis from getting worse.

The International Energy Agency has said that there must be no new oil, gas and coal projects if the world is to reach the goal of net zero emissions by 2050.

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What are fossil fuels?

Fossil fuels are made from decomposing plants and animals that died millions of years ago. They are mined or drilled from the Earth and burned to produce energy and power transport, or used to make products like plastic. The three types of fossil fuels are coaloil and gas.

Fossil fuels and climate change

Burning fossil fuels is one of the main causes of climate change.

When fossil fuels are burned, they release carbon dioxide into the air. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere and warm the planet up. These gases are naturally present in the atmosphere and without them, Earth would be much colder. But burning fossil fuels has pushed more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than humans have ever seen. So more heat is getting trapped and our planet is warming faster than any point in human history.

Coal and oil are some of the biggest contributors to climate change. Gas is often pushed as a ‘cleaner energy source’ than coal and oil. But it’s still a fossil fuel, so using it still contributes to global warming.

Extreme weather

A warming climate from fossil fuel burning causes more extreme weather.

Extreme weather events – such as floods and heatwaves – are happening more often all over the world. But many places around the world that have contributed the least to climate change are suffering more from extreme weather.

Environmental pollution and harms to people

As well as speeding up climate change, burning fossil fuels releases tiny particles (known as particulates) and harmful gases that pollute the air, water and land.

Air pollution

Air pollution from burning fuels like coal and oil was found responsible for one in five deaths globally in 2018. It’s also been linked to health problems like heart diseaselung conditions like asthma, and even dementia.

But exposure to air pollution from producing and burning fossil fuels is not the same for everyone. It’s much more likely to affect people of colour and low-income communities, both in the US and in England. This makes fossil fuel production a clear example of environmental injustice.

Acid rain

Alongside carbon dioxide, burning fossil fuels also releases toxic gases (like sulphur dioxide and nitric oxides) high into the air. These dissolve in water vapour and oxygen in the air, and fall to earth as acid rain.

Acid rain can make water habitats more toxic for some plants and animals. It can damage forests by robbing the soil of important nutrients, making it harder for trees to take up water. It also damages buildings and other man-made structures, and causes health problems.

Problems with extracting coal, oil and gas

It’s not just burning fossil fuels that hurts us and the planet. Harvesting, processing and distributing fossil fuels cause a host of problems too.

Coal mining can mean removing mountain tops and stripping large areas of land.

Oil drilling the sea bed poses risks to ocean life through oil spills from accidents and transporting it on ships. Oil refineries also pollute the air and water. This is dangerous for human health as well as the environment.

All fossil fuel extraction can cause pollution, due to the need to remove waste material. Oil drilling involves gas flaring, for example, to reduce pressure which can cause explosions.

Again, fossil fuels tend to be extracted and refined in the poorest countries and communities – meaning more severe impacts for people of colour.

Politics and fossil fuels

Even with more awareness of the climate crisis and government pledges to cut emissions, recent analysis suggests that fossil fuel emissions are reaching record highs.

Part of the challenge is that the fossil fuel industry is heavily embedded in our political and economic systems.

Because of ongoing demand for fossil fuels, companies that extract, refine and sell them are hugely wealthy and powerful. They use their money to lobby governments, influencing laws that might affect their business. They also receive tax breaks and subsidies from governments because their products are currently so important to society and the economy.

Many global fossil fuel companies are historically tied to the world’s wealthier countries, like the UK. So the communities and countries around the world most affected by climate change are now uniting to demand justice from rich countries.

These companies must now take responsibility for their damage. They need to stop drilling for new fossil fuels and start paying for the problems they have caused. And governments that have benefited from fossil fuel contracts must put the most affected communities, such as Indigenous Peoples, at the heart of political decision making going forward.

Alternatives to fossil fuels

Getting off fossil fuels is vital to stop the climate crisis from getting worse. Thankfully, the answers are pretty simple: 

  • Reduce the amount of energy we use by doing things like installing insulation in our homes.
  • Switch to renewable energy, like solar and wind power.

We can make this transition without harming the rights of workers in polluting industries.

While adopting alternative technologies, such as renewable energy and electric cars, we need to avoid the same kinds of problems created by fossil fuel extraction in the past. For example:

  • Mining for new metals and minerals for green technologies need a strong focus on justice and corporate accountability.
  • Communities need to be involved with local renewable projects and benefit from them.
Colourful photo montage shows Greenpeace activists and volunteers at work, along with wildlife like polar bears, whales and orangutans.

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