The reliance on fossil fuels, such as gas and oil, has threatened the viability of our planet in recent times. While some argue that the international community should take prompt measures to coerce all countries to decrease their reliance on carbon-based fuels, I completely disagree with this argument because phasing out fossil fuels is expensive and other sources of energy are not as efficient.
Foremost, renewable sources of energy, such as solar, wind, and hydro, require a substantial investment in infrastructure which is often unaffordable for developing and impoverished countries. As a result, they always opt to use the cheaper variant of energy which is not always environmental-friendly. For instance, a struggling nation like Pakistan lacks the resources to provide ample nutrition to its nationals. Therefore, building infrastructure to phase out fossil fuels is not only unaffordable but also unfeasible for Pakistan.
Moreover, the energy produced through renewable sources are not as efficient as carbon-based fuels. The production of sustainable energy is dependent on a variety of factors, such as the efficiency of the equipment and availability of the energy source. For example, the UK has predominantly cloudy and rainy weather, and producing solar energy here is not efficient. Additionally, combustion of coal and petroleum produces greater amount of energy compared to their renewable counterparts.
Conversely, proponents of imposing strict measures for reducing fossil fuel usage argue from the standpoint that combustion of these products produce hazardous greenhouse gases which are responsible for global warming. Furthermore, unmitigated global warming will lead to widespread habitat loss for millions of flora and fauna species and it will increase sea levels which will submerge our coastal population centers. Hence, strict and immediate actions hold paramount importance in preserving the planet’s biodiversity.
In conclusion, while forcing countries to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels might reduce global warming, it will incur significant financial costs in switching to alternate sources of energy. Also, renewable sources are not as efficient as their carbon counterparts. Therefore, I completely disagree with the proposal of enforcing such a mandate.