5 - Use of fossil fuels
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Fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) come from remains of life (plants, algae, etc.) buried and decomposed underground. They account for 80% of global energy consumed.
1Cause
Industry uses fossil fuels for different activities: heating, transport, industrial processes, etc.
5Consequences
The imperfect combustion of fossil fuels leads to aerosol emissions into the atmosphere.
Methane represents 17% of GHGs globally (mainly agriculture, but also during production (particularly leaks) and combustion of fossil fuels). Nitrous oxide is not directly linked to the use of fossil fuels.
The manufacture of nitrogen fertilizers relies on the use of fossil gas.
The combustion of fossil fuels causes CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. CO2 represents more than 70% of anthropogenic GHGs (greenhouse gases) globally.
The manufacture of “conventional” plastic is entirely based on the exploitation of oil. At the start, plastic was “only” a “by-product”.
1Other possible cause
Agriculture uses very little fossil energy, compared to the emissions of other GHGs for which it is responsible. However, the link is not false.