Globally, the world has become more dependent on fossil fuel, particularly on some of its products as its primary source of energy. For instance, the consumption of fossil fuels, natural gas’s use is about (25%), petroleum (36%), and coal (26%) which amounts to about 87% share as the primary energy consumption. Nonrenewable energy consumption share, on the other hand, is about 13% shared between geothermal, waste, wind, wood and solar (4%), hydroelectric at (5%), and nuclear at (5%) (Cite). The majority of the human population is overly dependent on fossil fuel, as is demonstrated by figure 15.8 on page 333 since most os the items are indeed petroleum-based. Hence, overcoming this dependence is highly unlikely, and if so, it will take a more extended period. Additionally, the total transformation is also quite expensive for contemplating the move to renewables since it will significantly take tremendous financial efforts as well as both domestic and international investments to gain universal access (Watkins).
It is believed that half of the reserves are depleted, and since fossil fuels take millions of years to form, it may run out (Cite). There may be a possibility of running out of fuels that are used to make these products like cosmetics, water baskets, shower curtains, and plastics, and this will influence the use of other materials. However, the globe for the moment is highly dependent on fossil fuels for the past three centuries, and stopping to use abruptly will not only cause economic turmoil but also cause a detrimental environmental catastrophe.
The global economic growth is mostly dependent on fossil fuels, and curbing the use of such will have significant impacts on businesses and mostly on the economy. Many business people claim that many of the environmental changes due to the use of fossil fuels are highly exaggerated, and the risks that present themselves can be engaged and dealt with when apparent despite the need to cut carbon emission for the globe to renew itself and grow (cite).
The figure does demonstrate the overwhelming reliance on natural resources by humans. America alone constitutes about 20 percent portion of the global population consumption of combusted fuels annually (cite). There are tons of damage done to the environment due to this over-reliance on fossil fuels, but awareness of the change needed to improve the environment is precisely the right direction to influence the change. There is a rapid decrease, however, in the energy gained to energy spent over the years to a ratio of 5:1 from a ratio of 100:1 due to the restrictions put to companies curbing the access to fossil fuel (Cite). However, the forecast on the growth of the global population is set to increase to well over three billion people by 2045. Thus, this is another factor making the dependence on fossil fuels and its production to increase as well as making the situation more complicated. However, there is a need to switch to alternative energy sources since meeting the demand of the growing population impossible to meet.
Conclusively, renewable technology is indeed moving at a pace, and the investments in clean energy are also growing. However, renewable energy sources are unable to meet the growing demand. While the renewables can indeed take the place of coal-which is among the worst of the fossil fuels- there will be a significant lag, and it also does require dire compromises as well as sound decisions to phase out the overdependence on fossil fuels.