Answer:
Meaning of fossil fuels:
Fossil fuel
A fossil fuel is a fuel formed by natural processes, such as anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms, containing organic molecules originating in ancient photosynthesis that release energy in combustion.
Scientific meaning of fossil fuels:
Fossil fuels are made from decomposing plants and animals. These fuels are found in the Earth's crust and contain carbon and hydrogen, which can be burned for energy. Coal, oil, and natural gas are examples of fossil fuels.
History of fossil fuels:
The theory that fossil fuels formed from the fossilized remains of dead plants by exposure to heat and pressure in the Earth's crust over millions of years was first introduced by Andreas Libavius "in his 1597 Alchemia [Alchymia]" and later by Mikhail Lomonosov "as early as 1757 and certainly by 1763".
The future of fossil fuels:
Fossil fuels will still provide 60% of energy in 2040, compared to 85% today, but the pattern of use will change, away from coal and towards gas, and increasingly concentrated in industry. Fossil fuel prices would be lower in a 2˚C scenario, with less need to mobilise high-cost reserves to meet demand.
The Sustainability of fossil fuels:
In the foreseeable future, fossil fuels are not limited by resource depletion. However, environmental concerns based on climate change and other environmental effects of injecting excess carbon into the environment need to be eliminated before fossil fuels can be considered sustainable.
