Fossil fuels are the major energy source that power the industrial world. Yet, fossil fuel use is responsible for much environmental degradation. In particular, carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels are the main cause of global warming. In order to manage climate change, a de-carbonized economy must be planned now or soon (this step will need to be taken anyway because of the finite supplies of fossil fuels). Because of our heavy reliance on fossil fuels, the transition to a non-fossil fuel based economy must be planned extensively in order to minimize economic disruptions.
The United Nations’ Global Goals call on countries to create sustainable economies and protect the environment. In 2010, Costa Rica pledged to become the world’s first carbon neutral country by 2021; as of 2018, 73.8% of Costa Rica’s electricity was generated through hydroelectric plants, while the remaining energy was sourced from wind, geothermal energy, biomass and solar energy.