A Brief History: 

Fossil fuels were the backbone of the industrial revolution, helping alleviate millions from poverty and increasing standards of living around the world. 

Due to the significant benefits as a cheap fuel, governments have incentivised their use for over a century. The graph below shows how these incentives artificially reduce the price of fossil fuels to encourage their use.

Fossil fuel by-products are heavily integrated into the modern economy, from plastics to industrial lubricants and agricultural fertilisers. ​

The Issue:

The greenhouse gas emissions that result from burning fossil fuels are by far the biggest driver of global warming. ​

It is clear the costs of burning fossil fuels are increasingly outweighing the benefits, with clear scientific evidence that the cost will almost certainly be astronomical if emissions aren’t curbed. ​

Along with climate impacts, fossil fuel use is also associated with other costs that are generally not factored into the price (e.g. air pollution).

Our Stance:

Turning the taps off on fossil fuels overnight would not be feasible due to the economic fall-out and lack of alternatives in some sectors. 

But we need to change the existing policy structure set up to incentivise them, and instead start to factor the huge negative side effects into the price. The point is not to make everything more expensive, but to make alternatives more attractive, driving investment in clean technologies and bringing down their costs. Because clean energy sources won't drive the enormous costs associated with climate change, society and the economy will be much better off in the long run. 

Given the limited carbon budget for 1.5ºC there is little/no room for new investment in fossil fuels if we are serious about staying within this goal. Investing in new fossil fuel projects will inevitably delay the transition away from them and lead to more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere*.

That will drive more warming, meaning worsening climate impacts, as well as significantly increasing the chances that global temperatures spiral out of control (the worst possible outcome).

Any major change is uncomfortable but there will be many opportunities and jobs created on the road to Net Zero, we must learn to embrace change.

Big oil companies making large short term profits from the status quo are likely to continue resisting any transition. We believe government intervention is our best hope and we need to show our support for it.

*Our issue is with more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, not fossil fuels directly… if Carbon Capture & Storage can be used reliably with burning fossil fuels and is economical to do so then in theory it could play a part in this energy transition. 

What you can do…

Get in contact with your MP showing support for a more rapid transition away from fossil fuels. Find MP contact details here.

Sign petitions such as The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. You can also contact your environmental minister, asking them to support the project through this link. Some other organisations/ petitions that you may wish to support are listed below:
Power for people- campaigns to empower community energy groups to start up and sell their clean electricity directly to local people.

Make it clear whenever other opportunities arise (e.g. political polls) that you think more urgent action is needed on this issue.