This blog post examines the reasons and background behind why fossil fuels are still being used despite threatening the environment and human survival.
Today, carbon emissions are the most contentious issue at environmental conferences and similar forums. Carbon emissions are also a point of contention from an economic perspective, and these emissions are closely tied to the use of fossil fuels. In other words, reducing fossil fuel consumption is a critical issue. Furthermore, the social and political impacts of fossil fuel use are factors that cannot be ignored. Many nations compete to secure energy resources, and countries with high energy dependency may find themselves at a disadvantage in political negotiations. Thus, fossil energy impacts international relations beyond mere economic concerns. Let’s explore why fossil energy has become such a critical issue today.
Fossil energy refers to energy produced using fossil fuels, which are underground resources formed from the remains of organic matter that existed on Earth long ago. A defining characteristic of all fossil fuels is their extremely long formation period. The time required to form fossil fuels exceeds the entire history of humankind. Examples of fossil fuels include coal, petroleum, natural gas, and oil sands. Fossil fuels are formed through various processes corresponding to their types and are located in diverse places.
First, examining the formation principle of coal: hundreds of millions of years ago, plant remains were buried underground. When the main components of plants—cellulose and lignin—were subjected to heat and pressure, oxygen and hydrogen escaped, leaving only carbon. This carbon hardened into coal. Coal transitions through the stages of peat, lignite, bituminous coal, and anthracite. Since it is simply the result of plants being buried in strata and transformed by heat and pressure, it is produced in many places. It was primarily formed during the Paleozoic era and is often found buried from that period. The most abundant deposits date from the Carboniferous period, though it is also found from other periods. According to the International Energy Agency, coal is produced in approximately 100 countries worldwide. The United States holds the largest reserves, accounting for about 22.6% of the world’s total, followed by Russia with 14.4%, China with 12.6%, and Australia with 8.9%. Coal reserves are directly linked to a nation’s economic power, and conflicts over them can escalate into energy security issues. Coal is known to have first been used in China around 4000 BC. Its use in Europe began around the 11th century, with widespread adoption starting during the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century.
Many scholars speculate that petroleum primarily originates from the remains of microorganisms in warm seas, transformed by heat and pressure. Petroleum is formed in a liquid state and is mainly deposited in the Middle East. According to British Petroleum, approximately 742 billion barrels are believed to be stored in the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia estimated to hold nearly 250 billion barrels. The region’s oil reserves highlight its critical importance to the global economy, a factor that often fuels political conflicts and military confrontations. Oil was first used to replace lamp oil and gradually became the most important energy source today as it found applications in internal combustion engines and other uses. Byproducts generated during the oil refining process include asphalt and carbon compounds used in fibers. In essence, we live alongside oil.
Natural gas is often found in reservoirs alongside petroleum. Initially, it was burned off during oil production, but recently it has been widely used for power generation and heating, much like other fossil fuels. Oil sands, which contain petroleum embedded in sand, have seen increased economic value due to rising oil prices, leading to their extraction.
These fossil fuels have the advantage of providing ample energy simply by burning, leading to their extensive use since the Industrial Revolution. Demand surged particularly with advances in transportation, and they hold a crucial position in power generation. The entire process—from extraction and production to transportation and consumption of oil and natural gas—has served as a major driving force underpinning the global economy. As many countries worldwide have relied on fossil fuels for economic growth, disruptions in the supply chain of these resources can cause economic shocks rippling across the globe. However, their disadvantages are as significant as their advantages. The most critical issue is environmental damage. Environmental problems can be broadly divided into two categories: destruction caused by extraction and destruction caused by use. First, looking at the extraction process: coal mining involves digging up the surface and underground, destroying surrounding ecosystems. Wastewater generated during extraction pollutes the surrounding environment. Oil extraction also contaminates groundwater through drilling equipment. Particularly with oil, transportation often pollutes the environment. A prime example is the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Crude oil leaked into the Gulf, causing severe environmental damage. Crude oil is lighter than seawater, causing it to float on the surface and inflict extensive damage on marine life. Such incidents underscore the importance of environmental protection and the need to seek new alternatives for safe and sustainable energy use. The use of fossil fuels also adversely affects the environment. The most prominent examples are acid rain and global warming.
Acid rain is literally the phenomenon of acidic rain falling. Actual rain is slightly acidic due to dissolved carbon dioxide, but acid rain has an even lower pH, causing problems. It is primarily caused by sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxides produced during the burning of fossil fuels and has caused significant damage in Europe. The reason this acid rain causes damage is simple: its low pH. pH indicates the acidity or alkalinity of a substance; the lower the pH, the stronger the acidity. Acidic solutions significantly affect proteins, but they also impact marble and bronze statues. Marble is converted into carbon dioxide by the acid, and bronze statues corrode. In Europe, most buildings were constructed with marble, and there were many statues, leading to extensive damage. Moreover, due to the influence of the westerlies, greater damage occurred in Eastern and Northern Europe than in the source regions like the UK or France. Eastern and Northern European countries suffered damage due to the actions of neighboring nations.
A problem as significant as acid rain is global warming. Global warming is the phenomenon of the Earth becoming warmer. The primary cause is considered to be greenhouse gases. Among the gases classified as greenhouse gases is carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a gas that animals inevitably emit as part of their life processes. It is also a vital gas for plants, enabling them to obtain nutrients through photosynthesis. However, even such a gas can become problematic when present in excess, as too much of a good thing is harmful. Carbon dioxide emissions are primarily caused by the consumption of coal and oil. Since carbon is the main component of coal and oil, burning them produces carbon dioxide. According to the National Climatic Data Center, the Earth’s average temperature has been setting record highs every year since observations began. This global warming is currently increasing the rate at which glaciers melt. Glaciers naturally undergo a cycle of melting in summer and freezing in winter, but global warming is significantly increasing the melting rate, causing the average size of glaciers to steadily decrease. This leads to rising sea levels, creating the problem of reduced land area. In particular, rising sea levels pose a severe threat to low-lying nations, significantly increasing the likelihood of new refugee crises.
Fossil fuels have played the most crucial energy role for humanity. They were the easiest to use and highly efficient. Consequently, fossil fuels have been relied upon for nearly three centuries. However, energy efficiency alone cannot solve all the problems associated with fossil fuels. We must increasingly seek sustainable energy resources and move toward reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. Yet, like two sides of a coin, every advantage has its disadvantage. We have long ignored this very point. Consequently, the damage caused by environmental pollution has now returned to threaten our very survival. Even now, we must properly recognize the problems inherent in fossil fuels and not neglect our efforts to solve them.
