Fossil fuel
Introduction to Fossil Fuels and Their Formation
Animals and plants that have decomposed are used to make fossil fuels. Such fuels, which are carbon and hydrogen-based and can be burned to produce energy, are present in the crust of the Earth. Fossil fuels include natural gas, coal, and oil. Coal is normally found in sedimentary rock deposits, which are made up of layers of stacked rock and decomposing plant and animal debris.
A single piece of coal must contain more than 50% fossilized plant matter. Shale is one example of the sedimentary rock strata in which oil was initially found as a solid substance. The thick oil that can be used to make gasoline is created by heating this substance. In general, reserves of natural gas are found on top of oil deposits. Sedimentary rock layers free of oil might also contain it. Methane is the main component of natural gas.
Research Findings on Global Energy Needs
According to comprehensive research addressed by political leaders, governments should stop issuing new licenses for the production of oil, gas, and coal because there are now enough fossil fuel projects planned worldwide to meet figures for the world’s energy needs until 2050.
Researchers at University College London and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) stated on May 30, 2024, that no new fossil fuel projects will be required if governments implement the adjustments they have made to prevent the world from failing its climate commitments.
The Call for Halting New Fossil Fuel Projects
According to them, the data provided “a rigorous scientific basis” for international governments to impose bans on new fossil fuel projects, start the industry’s controlled decline, and promote investment in clean energy alternatives.
According to the researchers, political leaders may create a new standard on the use of fossil fuels and hold the business “immediately accountable” by setting a “clear and immediate demand.”
Political Implications in the UK
The study, which was published in the journal Science, used a wide range of scenarios made for the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to analyze global energy demand forecasts for oil and gas as well as coal- and gas-fired electricity, to keep global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels.
It turned out that in a net-zero future, there would be no need for additional fossil fuel extraction or new coal- and gas-fired power generation.
The plan, which has emerged as a key point of conflict between the Conservative Party and the opposition Labour Party ahead of the general election on July 4, is expected to rekindle criticism of the UK government. The Conservatives have pledged to grant hundreds of licenses for oil and gas exploration to support the North Sea industry.
In addition to planning to raise taxes on the proceeds from operating oil and gas fields to assist in financing investments in renewable energy projects through a new government-owned firm called Great British Energy, Labour has pledged to stop awarding new North Sea licenses should it win power.
Scientific Basis for Policy Changes
“Importantly, our research establishes that there is a rigorous scientific basis for the proposed norm by showing that there is no need for new fossil fuel projects,” stated Dr. Steve Pye, a co-author of the UCL Energy Institute report.
“By bringing clarity to the matter, policymakers should be better able to target the ambitious scaling of investments in clean energy and renewable energy while managing the decline of fossil fuel infrastructure in a fair and just manner,” stated Pye.
The International Energy Agency (IEA), which has cautioned that no new fossil fuel projects were compatible with the global ambition to achieve a net zero energy system, expanded on its work in this report.
While acknowledging that further investment will be necessary for already approved projects and current oil and gas assets, the IEA rejected any new investment in long-lead time fossil fuel projects.
Comparison with Past Ethical Norm Shifts
“Our research draws lessons from past shifts in global ethical norms, such as slavery and the testing of nuclear weapons,” stated Dr. Fergus Green of UCL’s political science department. These examples show how standards gain pace when they entail straightforward expectations for which influential people may be held directly responsible.
Debate Over the Term ‘Net Zero’
“No new fossil fuel projects” is a clear and urgent demand, against which all present governments and the fossil fuel business may legitimately be judged. Complex, long-term targets like “net zero emissions by 2050” lack these elements.
The idea of net zero has turned into a political term aimed at igniting a “dangerous” culture war over climate change, according to Chris Stark, the outgoing head of the UK’s Committee on Climate Change, who stated last month that it might be best to give it up.
Stark stated, “I’m extremely relaxed about dropping it if it is only a slogan and if it is seen as a sort of holding pen for a whole host of cultural issues.” “We don’t need to use it as a badge that we keep on every program; we keep it as a scientific target.”
Conclusion: A Litmus Test for Climate Commitment
According to Green, a government’s backing for new fossil fuel projects should “serve as a litmus test” for its sincerity in addressing the climate catastrophe. “They’re not serious if they’re approving new fossil fuel projects,” he continued.