Is a modern industrial society possible without cheap fossil fuels?

Credit: EPA USA

Many, on all sides of the climate & economic debates, have expressed concern that a modern industrial society may not be possible without cheap fossil fuels & their attendant greenhouse gas emissions. Fortunately, emerging evidence points to the possibility of a bright economic & environmental future:

● With subsidies running at $10 million per minute worldwide, fossil fuels aren’t cheap.

● Data (some of it preliminary) show that world greenhouse gas emissions stayed flat in 2015, for the second year in a row, while global gross domestic product continued to grow.

http://www.wri.org/blog/2016/04/roads-decoupling-21-countries-are-reducing-carbon-emissions-while-growing-gdp

https://www.iea.org/newsroomandevents/pressreleases/2016/march/decoupling-of-global-emissions-and-economic-growth-confirmed.html keys countries transition new climate economy growth drive coexist climate stabilization whether climate stabilisation can drive growth debates growth resources complex fractious resolved immediate future recent developments global greenhouse gas GHG emissions stayed flat 2014 2015 GDP continued to grow emerging trend supported by 21 countries reduce GHG emissions while growing GDP United States of America largest country multiple consecutive years economic growth decoupled from growth in carbon dioxide emissions CO2 2010 to 2012 energy-related carbon dioxide emissions declined 6 percent 5.58 to 5.23 billion metric tons GDP grew by 4 percent $14.8 to $15.4 trillion analysis Clean Power Plan U.S.A. Energy Information Administration forecasts cleaner electricity system after 2020 sustained period GDP-GHG decoupling CPP implementation reduce total U.S.A. USA energy-related carbon dioxide emissions further 6 percent between 2020 and 2025 GDP increases 13 percent in real terms United States implements Clean Power Plan achieves sustained decoupling twenty other countries decoupling GDP energy-related carbon dioxide emissions UK country economic growth CO2 emissions increasingly diverged UK achieved six years of absolute decoupling real GDP grew carbon dioxide emissions declined shifting to a low carbon path decoupling of GDP and GHG emissions economy economics business emissions international climate policy renewable energy /