Fossil Fuels and the Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution did not begin with windmills or water wheels. It began with coal. Britain’s transition from agrarian subsistence to industrial production was powered by coal-fired steam engines, iron furnaces, and mechanized manufacturing.
Between 1800 and 1900:
- Global coal consumption increased by over 1,300%
- Steel production grew from 25,000 tons to over 50 million tons annually
- Railroads expanded by over 700,000 kilometers globally, fueled exclusively by coal engines
- Urban population quadrupled in industrialized economies
Oil followed. By the early 20th century, it had displaced coal in shipping, warfare, and mechanized agriculture. The internal combustion engine became the foundation of transport and logistics, and petroleum-based fertilizer enabled crop yields to double. These transitions did not occur because cleaner energy was prioritized. They occurred because fossil fuels offered more power, more cheaply, more reliably.
Fossil Fuels and Global Poverty Reduction
From 1960 to 2020, global GDP per capita rose from $450 to over $11,000, adjusted for inflation. This rise directly correlates with fossil energy availability.
Consider:
- In 1960, only 25% of the global population had access to electricity. By 2020, over 90% did.
- Energy consumption per capita in developing countries rose 8× over that same period
- Fertilizer use (primarily fossil-derived) expanded global food production 3.5×
- Life expectancy increased from 52 years to over 72 years
The United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) strongly correlates with per capita energy use. Countries with higher fossil fuel consumption per capita consistently rank higher on health, education, and income metrics.
China and India: The Fossil Path to Growth
China:
- From 1990 to 2024, China lifted over 800 million people out of poverty
- This was enabled by a 5× increase in coal-fired power capacity
- China built more than 2,000 GW of fossil-based energy infrastructure between 2000 and 2020
- Steel, cement, and petrochemical sectors (fossil-dependent) formed the foundation of urbanization and export growth
India:
- Still relies on coal for over 70% of electricity generation (CEA India, 2024)
- Rural electrification, industrial expansion, and fertilizer access are fossil-driven
- In 2023, India added 14 new coal plants to meet demand; 2025 targets include 500 million new gas connections via pipeline and LPG
Both countries are investing in renewables, but neither is reducing fossil dependency in absolute terms. Development requires scale, and scale still requires oil, gas, and coal.
Fossil Fuels and Agricultural Productivity
Global food supply depends on fossil inputs at every stage:
- Fertilizer: 97% of global ammonia production uses natural gas (Haber-Bosch process)
- Mechanization: Diesel powers over 90% of agricultural machinery
- Irrigation: Fossil-fueled pumps and energy sources account for the majority of high-yield irrigation systems
- Cold chains and logistics: Fossil fuel-powered trucks and refrigeration are essential for post-harvest preservation and distribution
Without fossil fuels, modern agriculture collapses. In 2024, fertilizer shortages linked to natural gas price spikes reduced yields in Sub-Saharan Africa by 18% (FAO report). Attempts to substitute with “organic” alternatives have failed at scale, as seen in Sri Lanka’s 2022 agricultural crisis.
Urbanization and Energy Access
Urbanization is tightly coupled to fossil-based infrastructure:
- Asphalt (petroleum-based) enables roads and intermodal transport systems
- Concrete (cement production requires coal and gas) forms the basis of modern housing and infrastructure
- Glass, steel, plastics, and insulation materials are all derived from fossil processes
As of 2025:
- 56% of the world population lives in cities
- Over 90% of urban construction in developing nations uses fossil-based materials
- Natural gas is the most common heating source in residential and commercial buildings globally
No region has urbanized without a parallel increase in fossil fuel consumption.
Energy Poverty and the Ethics of Restriction
The push for fossil fuel divestment and restrictions has disproportionately harmed energy-poor nations.
According to the IEA (2024):
- Over 750 million people still lack access to electricity
- 2.4 billion people rely on biomass and dung for cooking
- Indoor air pollution kills 3.2 million people annually, mostly in Africa and South Asia
Restricting fossil fuel finance to these regions under the banner of ESG or net zero denies them the same development path used by the West. The World Bank and major development banks have reduced hydrocarbon funding in favor of intermittent renewables that cannot support industrial baseload demand. The result is stalled development and increased dependency.
Fossil Fuels and Human Development Index (HDI) Correlation
A 2023 meta-study by the University of Oslo found a direct statistical relationship between per capita fossil fuel consumption and HDI, controlling for geography, education, and governance.
Key findings:
- Countries with >5 TOE (tons of oil equivalent) per capita energy use consistently scored above 0.85 on HDI
- Countries below 1 TOE per capita did not exceed 0.65 HDI
- Increases in electricity access and liquid fuel availability had the strongest marginal impact on health and income indicators
There is no known case of a nation achieving high HDI without fossil energy access.
Present-Day Reality (April 2025)
- Africa’s energy demand is projected to triple by 2050, with fossil fuels expected to supply over 65% of new capacity
- The Asian Development Bank resumed funding gas infrastructure in 2024 to support economic resilience
- Global fossil fuel subsidies (though politically contentious) remain essential to shield poor populations from inflation
- Oil remains the primary global transport fuel, with electric vehicles accounting for less than 3.8% of the global fleet
- 12 of the 20 fastest growing economies are expanding fossil fuel infrastructure to support industrialization