These days, fossil fuels are utilized as a main source of energy in many countries. However, there is a movement among some countries to get rid of those fossil fuels, as they are limited and harmful for the environment. So, instead, they are opting to rely on wind and solar power for their energy needs. I believe that this is a positive development, especially during a time when ecological issues are becoming ever more alarming, though it may not be as simple as it seems, owing to financial burdens for some countries.
Since the industrial revolution, people have been using all kinds of fossil fuels – coal, oil and natural gas, which have been the driving force behind industrial take over. However, from the turn of a century, the very fossil fuels that facilitated our progress, also turned out to be the main causes of environmental problems such as air pollution, ocean pollution as well as animals dying our as a result of overproduction of plastic waste in oceans. These limitations of fossil fuels resulted in the search of more sustainable alternatives like wind and solar power, which are not only renewable but also eco-friendlier.
Therefore, the desperation towards more sustainable options is reasonable and offers many advantages. When countries adopt their industries to solar and wind energy supplies, by building solar panels and wind turbines, they will ensure that their environment is cleaner, which decreases the risk health-related issues and diseases among the citizens. This, in turn, also improves the reputation of the country, for example, South Korea, a small country which has become a model in terms of clean energy production, which helped them to earn respect for their actions by the international community. Even though such attempts may seem small, especially when they are being successful in small countries, if continued to spread among bigger nations with larger economies – China, the USA an EU – this will definitely result in more sustainable and better future.
Nevertheless, although the idea itself may sound like a utopian world with no energy issues, it is important to consider the limitation of this reliance on solar and wind energy resources. The most apparent being the cost. In other word, not all countries, especially the third-world ones can afford to transform their energy generation chains form coal to solar, for example. Thus, it may take decades for any result to be seen let it be cleaner energy or sustainability.
To conclude, while the transformation from fossil fuels to wind and solar power offers many advantages – economical, environmental, geopolitical, the only limitation remains to be the cost. I, however, still believe that this a positive development in a long-run.