What Happens If We Stop Fossil Fuel Use?

Written By Teacher: Emily Rogers

Emily has a bachelor’s degree in English and French and a master’s degree in library and information science. She spent seven years teaching information evaluation and research skills as a school librarian in K-8 public schools. As a lifelong resident of Southern Louisiana, Emily has a particular interest in how climate change affects coastal regions. She hopes to connect educators with resources that will help them to teach their students about the disproportionately adverse effects of climate change on historically marginalized communities.

Teaching about the negative impacts of fossil fuels may seem like a science topic, but there are many ways to incorporate this topic into health, social studies, and economics lessons. Many students will be aware that fossil fuels have an enormous impact on climate change, but they may not be as familiar with the other risks fossil fuels pose. Middle and high school health teachers can use this video to introduce students to the dangers of environmental pollution caused by the fossil fuel industry and then have a follow-up discussion about how clean energy alternatives could reduce these problems. Teachers can also take a solutions-based approach to teaching students about the economic ramifications of fossil-fuel-related human health problems with this article. 

Written By: MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative

The MIT Climate Change Engagement Program, a part of MIT Climate HQ, provides the public with nonpartisan, easy-to-understand, and scientifically-grounded information on climate change and its solutions.

Fossil fuels are a cheap and reliable way to produce energy. They work even when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing, and they’re very abundant—at least for now. So for countries with rising energy needs, it can be tempting to keep building fossil fuel plants despite their contribution to climate change.

This would be very harmful, says Noelle Selin, Associate Professor in the MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society. Even if we could just ignore climate change, fossil fuels come with many hidden costs. "A lot of fossil fuel plants have real detrimental effects on populations nearby, whether from the actual fossil fuel extraction, or because of air pollution,” says Selin. “Those costs aren't usually taken into account when people think about the potential risks or benefits for energy development, but they really should be."

The term “fossil fuel” refers to any source of energy made from fossilized plants or animals. This organic matter is compressed and heated over millions of years until it forms coal, oil, or natural gas. The reason these fuels contribute to global warming is that burning them releases carbon dioxide (CO2).