Newsletter
Fossil fuels1 May 2005
Energy is much cleaner that it used to be. But fossil fuels cause problems of their own.
Carbon dinosaurs
The UK's biggest source of carbon dioxide (CO2) is burning fossil fuels - like coal, gas and oil - in power stations.
About 40% of the UK's emissions come from this sector, with transport responsible for about a quarter and homes for around 16%.
Old coal-fired power stations produce more dangerous CO2 than gas ones.
Emissions from power stations fell substantially in the 1990s as a result of a switch away from coal to gas-fired power stations. But since 1990 coal usage to generate electricity has not decreased.
And since 2000 emissions from power stations have barely fallen.
Globally there is still huge investment in fossil fuels.
Did you know?
In 2008 the World Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC) increased funding for fossil fuels by 102% compared with only 11% for new renewables.
Bretton Woods Project
Why aren't big energy companies - like Shell - doing more? And fossil fuels aren't the only dirty fuel out there.
© Adrian Arbib
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