GEF

Unit 3  |  Primary Sustainability Issues 59 economic and social inequalities. Securing access to these fuels is at the root of many violent conflicts around the world. Any truly comprehensive transition to sustainability requires a thorough restructuring of the way we obtain and use energy. About 80 percent of global energy is derived from fossil fuels. Coal, oil, and other fossil fuels are the remains of ancient plant and animal life. It takes hundreds of millions of years for fossil fuels to form—so slowly that from a human perspective they are nonrenewable. Despite this fact, it is projected that fossil fuel use will continue to grow as global populations increase, and nations such as China and India experience rapid economic growth. Oil is a key resource for industrial economies, as it is the only fossil fuel readily available in liquid form, making it essential for motorized transportation. It is the raw material for products, such as plastics, synthetic fibers, asphalt, and medicines. The depletion of oil reserves represents a serious threat to countries around the world. Offshore rigs make it possible to pump oil from deep beneath the ocean floor.