Fossil Fuel Reserves (HL) (DP IB Environmental Systems & Societies (ESS)): Revision Note

Fossil fuel reserves

What are fossil fuels?

• Fossil fuels are natural resources formed over millions of years from decomposed plants and animals

• Types:

  • Coal: used for electricity and industrial processes (e.g. steel and cement production)

  • Oil: mainly used in transportation and petrochemical industries

  • Natural gas: used for heating and electricity

Why are fossil fuels still so important?

• Global dependence:

  • Fossil fuels provide about 80% of the world’s energy

  • They power industries, transport, and homes

    • E.g. oil still fuels over 90% of global transportation

• Economic significance:

  • Fossil fuels generate significant revenue for resource-rich nations

    • E.g. Saudi Arabia’s economy depends heavily on oil exports

Factors influencing fossil fuel depletion

• Fossil fuels are finite resources that are being depleted due to continuous extraction and consumption

  • They will eventually run out

• Factors influencing timelines for final depletion of fossil fuel reserves include:

  • Rate of consumption

  • Discovery of new deposits

  • Developments in technology for extraction

  • Use of renewables or nuclear power

Rate of consumption

• Increasing demand:

  • Industrialisation and population growth increase energy needs

    • E.g. India and China’s rapid economic growth is still driving high coal and oil use

• Energy inefficiency:

  • Some countries or regions rely on outdated, inefficient technology that wastes energy

    • This results in high consumption rates

Discovery of new deposits

• Exploration efforts:

  • Advances in technology enable the discovery and precise locating of previously inaccessible fossil fuel reserves

    • E.g. the relatively recent discovery of deepwater oil reserves off the coast of Brazil

    • This has significantly increased Brazil's proven oil reserves and made the country a key player in global oil exports

• Untapped reserves:

  • Many potential fossil fuel reserves are located in environmentally sensitive areas, such as the Arctic

    • Geopolitical tensions over access to these areas, like the Arctic, can complicate and slow down their exploitation

Extraction technology

• Technological advances:

  • New technology enables access to difficult reserves, such as deep-sea oil or shale gas

    • E.g. hydraulic fracturing (fracking) has allowed natural gas extraction from vast shale gas reserves in the United States

Transition to renewables and nuclear power

• Reduced fossil fuel use:

  • Growing investment in renewable energy is gradually reducing fossil fuel demand

    • E.g. the European Union aims to phase out coal by 2030

• Role of nuclear energy:

  • Nuclear energy provides a low-carbon alternative for reliable electricity generation

    • E.g. France generates over 70% of its electricity from nuclear power