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Approaching ‘Peak’ Fossil Fuels: Urgency for Renewable Energy

The world is approaching 'peak' fossil fuels, with global demand expected to decline, but the transition to clean energy needs to happen faster to address the urgency of the climate crisis.
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The world is getting close to using up all its fossil fuels. This means that soon we won't need as much coal, oil, and gas anymore. It's a big deal, but it also means we have to figure out how to switch to clean energy quickly so we don't harm the Earth even more. The UN climate conference in Dubai is all about finding solutions to these challenges.

Experts think that by 2025, we will reach a point where we won't need as much fossil fuel anymore, even without new climate policies. This is a really important moment, according to the International Energy Agency. But it won't be easy to stop using fossil fuels. Energy is really important for our economy and our daily lives. We use a lot of energy for things like making steel, producing cement, and making fuel. It's a huge amount.

In the past, people lived in poverty and had to work really hard. But when we discovered coal, oil, and gas, things changed. We had a big economic boom and our lives got better. Now, we need to find a way to use renewable energy instead. Wind and solar power are growing, but they only make up a small part of our energy supply. Most of our energy still comes from fossil fuels.

The key to using less fossil fuel is to use electricity for everything. Electric devices are more efficient and use less energy than ones that run on fossil fuels. Renewable electricity is also getting cheaper, which will save us money in the long run. It's important for private companies to invest in renewable energy, rather than relying on the government. But it can be hard for poorer countries to afford the upfront costs. We're working on finding ways to help them get the money they need to switch to renewable energy.

Original news source: Fossil fuels: Can humanity really kick its addiction? (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

πŸ“– Vocabulary:

1. fossil fuels
2. climate
3. renewable
4. economy
5. poverty
6. cement
7. efficient
8. upfront
9. invest
10. solar
11. reliance
12. conference
13. switch
14. challenges
15. boom

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students will read the article and write a summary of the main points. They can then share their summaries with another pair and compare their answers.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will come up with a question related to the article and create an opinion poll. They will then go around the class, asking other groups their question and recording their responses. They can then analyze and discuss the results as a class.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Give each student a vocabulary word from the article. They will then draw a picture to represent the word and try to get their classmates to guess what the word is. This can be done individually or in small groups.
– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into two groups. One group will list the pros of switching to clean energy, while the other group will list the cons. Each group will then present their lists to the class and have a debate on the topic.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: In pairs, students will discuss and make predictions about what they think the future of energy will look like. They can use the information from the article as well as their own ideas. Afterward, they can share their predictions with the class and discuss as a group.

πŸ€” Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the main topic of the article?

2. Why is it important to switch to clean energy quickly?

3. According to experts, when do they predict that we won't need as much fossil fuel anymore?

4. Why is it difficult to stop using fossil fuels?

5. How did the discovery of coal, oil, and gas change people's lives?

6. What are two examples of things that require a lot of energy?

7. Why is using electricity for everything key to using less fossil fuel?

8. Why can it be difficult for poorer countries to switch to renewable energy?

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

The world is getting to using up all its fossil fuels. This means that soon we won't need as much coal, oil, and gas anymore. It's a big deal, but it also means we have to figure out how to switch to energy quickly so we don't harm the Earth even more. The UN climate conference in Dubai is all about finding solutions to these . Experts that by 2025, we will reach a point where we won't need as much fossil fuel anymore, even without new climate policies. This is a really important moment, according to the Energy Agency. But it won't be easy to stop using fossil . Energy is really important for our economy and our daily lives. We use a lot of energy for things like steel, producing cement, and making fuel. It's a huge amount. In the past, lived in poverty and had to work really hard. But when we coal, oil, and gas, things changed. We had a big economic boom and our lives got better. Now, we need to find a way to use renewable energy instead. Wind and solar are growing, but they only make up a small part of our energy supply. Most of our energy still from fuels. The key to using less fossil fuel is to use electricity for everything. Electric devices are more efficient and use less than ones that run on fossil fuels. Renewable electricity is also getting cheaper, which will save us money in the long run. It's for private companies to invest in renewable energy, rather than relying on the government. But it can be hard for poorer countries to the upfront costs. We're working on finding ways to help them get the money they need to to renewable energy.

πŸ’¬ Discussion Questions:

1. What is a fossil fuel?
2. How would you feel if you had to switch to using only renewable energy?
3. Do you like the idea of using electricity for everything? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it's important for private companies to invest in renewable energy? Why or why not?
5. How do you think renewable energy can help save money in the long run?
6. What are some challenges that poorer countries might face when trying to switch to renewable energy?
7. How do you think renewable energy can help the Earth?
8. Do you think wind and solar power are enough to replace fossil fuels completely? Why or why not?
9. How do you think the discovery of coal, oil, and gas changed people's lives?
10. What are some ways we can reduce our energy consumption?
11. How do you think the UN climate conference can help find solutions to the challenges of using clean energy?
12. Do you think it's fair for wealthier countries to help poorer countries afford the upfront costs of switching to renewable energy? Why or why not?
13. How would you feel if you had to live without electricity?
14. What are some benefits of using renewable energy?
15. Do you think it's possible for the world to completely stop using fossil fuels? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

πŸ“–πŸ’­ Vocabulary Meanings:

Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.

Words

1. fossil fuels
2. climate
3. renewable
4. economy
5. poverty
6. cement
7. efficient
8. upfront
9. invest
10. solar
11. reliance
12. conference
13. switch
14. challenges
15. boom

Meanings

(A) The weather conditions that are typical in an area over a long period
(B) A large meeting where people discuss a particular topic
(C) A gray powder that is mixed with water and other substances to make concrete
(D) Energy that comes from the sun
(E) The system of how money is made and used within a particular country or region
(F) Energy sources like coal, oil, and gas that were formed from ancient plants and animals
(G) To change from one thing to another
(H) Doing something or working in a way that doesn't waste time or resources
(I) Able to be replaced naturally and used again, like wind or sunlight for power
(J) Costs or payments that need to be paid before something can be done
(K) To put money into something with the expectation that it will grow or earn more money
(L) A period of rapid growth and success in business or the economy
(M) Difficult tasks or problems that need to be dealt with
(N) Depending on someone or something for support or help
(O) The state of being very poor and not having the basic necessities of life

πŸ”‘ Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the main topic of the article?
(a) The economic benefits of using fossil fuels
(b) The UN climate conference in Dubai
(c) The world's decreasing fossil fuel supply and the need for clean energy
(d) The challenges of using renewable energy
2. When do experts predict that we will no longer need as much fossil fuel?
(a) By 2030
(b) By 2050
(c) By 2100
(d) By 2025
3. Why is it important to switch to clean energy quickly?
(a) To prevent further harm to the Earth
(b) To save money in the long run
(c) To rely less on the government
(d) To increase the use of electric devices
4. Which energy sources currently make up a small part of our energy supply?
(a) Coal and oil
(b) Gas and cement
(c) Steel and fuel
(d) Wind and solar power
5. What is the key to using less fossil fuel?
(a) Using electricity for everything
(b) Investing in renewable energy
(c) Finding ways to help poorer countries
(d) Decreasing the upfront costs of renewable energy
6. Why did people's lives improve when coal, oil, and gas were discovered?
(a) They had more money to spend
(b) They had access to more energy
(c) They no longer had to work hard
(d) They could afford renewable energy
7. What is the main challenge in switching to renewable energy?
(a) The lack of available renewable energy sources
(b) The upfront costs for poorer countries
(c) The government's reliance on fossil fuels
(d) The inefficiency of electric devices
8. Who should invest in renewable energy, according to the article?
(a) The government
(b) Private companies
(c) Wealthy individuals
(d) All citizens of a country

πŸ•΅οΈ True or False Questions:

Renewable energy sources like wind and solar power currently make up a small part of our energy supply.
It can be effortless for poorer countries to afford the upfront costs of switching to renewable energy, but efforts are not being made to find solutions.
Using electricity for everything and investing in renewable energy can help reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
The UN climate conference in Dubai is not focused on finding solutions to the challenge of transitioning to clean energy.
The world is running out of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and gas.
Energy is used for unimportant things like making steel, producing cement, and making fuel.
Experts predict that by 2025, we will not reach a point where we won't need as much fossil fuel, even without new climate policies.
It will be difficult to stop using fossil fuels because they are essential for our economy and daily lives.

πŸ“ Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Check your writing now with the best free AI for English writing!

Writing Questions:

1. What is the main problem that the world is facing with regards to fossil fuels?
2. Why is it important to switch to clean energy quickly?
3. When do experts predict that we won't need as much fossil fuel anymore?
4. Why is it difficult to stop using fossil fuels?
5. What are some examples of how we use a lot of energy in our daily lives?

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