Why do we love fossil fuels?

World leaders are now at COP27 in Egypt, hobnobbing with a record number of representatives from the fossil fuel industry. It's easy to villainize the fossil fuel companies, having used their wealth and influence to delay action on climate change by decades, but this week I want to look at things from a different perspective. I want to ask not why fossil fuels are bad, but why they are good. I know this is a bit controversial, but I want to ask why it is that we love fossil fuels so much?

Solving any problem involves several steps. First we must admit that we have a problem, then we must seek to understand the problem and its causes. Only then are we well positioned to identify and implement solutions. So if we want to solve the climate crisis then we need to start by admitting that we all have an addiction to fossil fuels, and petrochemicals more broadly.

Now we need to know why. I think I found the answer in a series of Esso careers adverts from the 1950s that are pasted onto the wall of a fairtrade clothing store in Ghent, Belgium.

This vintage Esso careers advert gives us insights into the promises of fossil fuels in the mid-20th century. Apologies for the poor image quality!

The adverts were designed to attract talented people to join the growing oil industry and sell the promises of a better society powered by oil. One of these adverts, shown above, ironically uses the heading ‘Oil conquers climate’. It goes on to explain how humans have always been at the mercy of the elements, but with the power of fossil fuels are now able to stay cool in the heat and warm in the winter in any part of the world, as well as keeping food refrigerated and preserved for long periods of time. Another advert talks about the benefits to health with oil derived plastics providing life saving medical equipment and petrochemicals being used in new medicines. Another advert goes on to talk about the lubricants and chemicals used in the production and operation of nearly every piece of modern equipment.

Other things that heavily rely on petrochemicals include rubbers, paints, tarmac, adhesives, building insulation, electrical insulation, fabrics, foams, artificial pesticides and of course fertilisers. Nearly everything that we do in the modern world relies on petrochemicals, not just for energy but as a raw material. Now here I am writing this article on a primarily plastic laptop that's communicating with a plastic Wi-Fi router, connected to the internet by plastic coated cables.

The hard reality that we face is that as much as we might detest the dubious tactics used by the fossil fuel industry and as much as we know the dire impacts of oil spills, air pollution, plastic pollution and climate change, we must also admit that we are privileged to have benefited so much from the use of fossil fuels and petrochemicals throughout our lives. They have given us things that we don’t want to give up.

While the perpetual burning of fossil fuels will eventually bring modern civilization to an end, turning off the tap overnight would bring it to an end even faster. And so we face the reality of the challenge. We need to not just accelerate the transition to a reliable energy system without burning fossil fuels, we also need to find alternatives for every single other use of petrochemicals that our society currently depends on. Having been doping our society on performance enhancing drugs for well over a century, the challenge is for new industries to go head to head and compete without the benefit of the drugs. Alternatives in every sector must not just be functionally competitive but also cost competitive, in a world where the playing field is tilted significantly in favour of the incumbent and powerful fossil fuel industries.

The challenge we face is immense but the opportunity for businesses that can develop, scale and market viable alternatives is equally immense. We must study every product and every process and ask, “Why does this rely on petrochemicals?” and “How could this be achieved without?”

There is also a role for businesses to play in supporting the companies that are creating alternatives, especially while they go through the challenging early years of development. Even if our own businesses are not in a position to develop alternatives, we can aim to purchase the alternatives that other companies offer. For example, the organic veg box company, Riverford, have eliminated packaging wherever possible, but where they do need it, they have switched to home compostable alternatives to plastics. These cost four times as much as the petrochemical plastic equivalents and it has added £700,000 to the companies annual costs, but it’s a price they are willing to pay to support the transition to more sustainable alternatives.

Riverford Organic Farmers deliver their vegetables in resuable cardboard crates with minimal packaging, but now use home compostable bags alternatives where plastic would normally be used

The transition away from fossil fuels and petrochemicals is arguably the biggest engineering challenge that humans have ever faced but it is already under way and amazing progress is being made. We must continue onwards, with our perspectives grounded in reality and our ambitions focussed on the incredible opportunities of success.