6.5 - Reliance on fossil fuels

• Fossil fuel-based economy


  • Self-sustaining growth predicated on the growing consumption of fossil fuels
  • Generating a sustained growth in emissions of CO2
• Ages of fossil fuels


  • Oil and gas - 100-300 million years old
  • Coal - over 300 million years old
• China


  • Key player
  • Chinese demand grows twice as quick as global average
  • By 2035, China will be the world's largest energy importer