‘We are addicted to fossil fuels — we aren’t leaving these fast, despite health impacts and clean options’ – The Times of India

The world knows the damage fossil fuels inflict on our bodies and our climate. We also know that cleaner, cheaper power is already available. Yet, collectively, we keep reaching for the same dirty energy. This isn’t just a policy failure—it looks and behaves like an addiction: the harms are clear, the alternatives are real, and still the dependence persists.

Why the “addiction” label fits

Across countries, the pattern repeats. Awareness has grown about the health risks from burning coal, oil and gas. The economic case for renewables and efficiency strengthens each year as costs fall and technologies mature. The benefits of cleaner energy—improved air quality, lower healthcare costs, energy security, and stable bills—are widely documented. And the climate imperative makes delay ever more dangerous.

Yet the transition proceeds too slowly. Entrenched interests, market structures built around fossil fuels, and policymaking that moves at a glacial pace keep us locked in. The result: a dangerous gap between what’s possible and what we’re actually doing.

The health bill we keep ignoring

Air pollution is the most tangible way fossil fuels reach into our lives. Fine particulate matter from combustion penetrates deep into the lungs, crosses into the bloodstream, and circulates throughout the body. Estimates suggest roughly two million deaths annually are linked specifically to burning fossil fuels.

The damage is systemic. Polluted air increases the risk of pneumonia and other infections, drives chronic respiratory diseases and certain cancers, and raises the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes. Evidence also points to heightened risks of dementia and other neurological disorders as pollutants reach the brain. Exposure during pregnancy affects fetal development, and children—whose organs are still maturing—face elevated, long-term harm. In short, dirty air touches nearly every organ system, with lifelong consequences.

Volatile markets, costly subsidies

Fossil fuel prices are notoriously volatile, swayed by global markets and geopolitical shocks. The gas price spikes that followed the war in Ukraine delivered windfall profits to a few companies while pushing households and industries to the brink. Governments responded by pouring public money into subsidies to keep the lights on and prevent energy poverty.

These subsidies have exceeded a trillion dollars in recent years in multiple countries, and in some cases outstrip entire national health budgets. This is a perverse use of public funds. Redirecting that money to expand clean energy access, upgrade grids, weatherize homes, and strengthen health systems would improve well-being while stabilizing costs.

Development without the smoke

For many nations with domestic coal resources, fossil fuels underpinned industrialization and poverty reduction. That legacy is real. But the balance has shifted. Continuing to build or prolong fossil infrastructure now delivers diminishing returns and rising harms—medical, economic, and climatic.

No country can switch off all fossil power overnight. But rapid, orderly transition is both feasible and prudent. Regions from parts of China to western Europe are accelerating clean power, storage, and electrification. As renewable and storage costs keep falling, coal and, increasingly, unabated gas face economic headwinds. A healthy future has no room for coal; the sooner planning and investment align with that reality, the better protected economies and communities will be.

Beyond endless consumption

Prosperity should be measured by health and well-being, not simply volume of consumption. Expanding access to education, nutritious food, quality housing, and clean mobility boosts human flourishing. But consuming without limits on a finite planet undermines both health and security.

The path forward pairs economic vitality with sustainability: efficient resource use, circular design, clean energy systems, and urban planning that prioritizes people over pollution. Growth can continue—provided it works within ecological boundaries and is judged by outcomes that matter for people’s lives.

What a fast, fair transition looks like

• Stop approving new coal projects and schedule retirements for the dirtiest plants first, while ensuring support for affected workers and communities.
• Scale up renewables, grid upgrades, and energy storage to provide reliable, affordable power; prioritize distributed solutions where they cut costs and improve access.
• Electrify transport and cooking, backed by clean grids; accelerate public transit, safe walking and cycling infrastructure.
• Cut demand with efficiency: insulate homes, modernize industry, and adopt high-efficiency appliances and heat pumps.
• Adopt strong clean air standards and monitor pollution transparently, with health services prepared to reduce and treat exposure-related diseases.
• Shift public finance: phase down broad fossil subsidies and replace them with targeted support that shields low-income households while speeding clean energy deployment.
• Invest in workforce reskilling and local manufacturing to anchor new jobs in the communities that powered the old economy.

The choice in front of us

The exit ramp from fossil dependence is open: proven technology, falling costs, and enormous health dividends await. The remaining barrier is a decision to move at the scale and speed the moment demands. Unhooking from this addiction isn’t just about climate targets—it’s about cleaner air, healthier children, and more resilient economies. We have the tools. It’s time to use them.