I Believe... Sustainable Development

I believe the issue of energy consumption and the increasing demand of oil throughout the world is one which requires the world's attention and every country's cooperation. The consequences are apparent, for the oil consumption is increasing at an alarming rate, as well as the energy consumption in developed countries, such as the G8 nations (US, Canada, Japan, Germany, Russia, France, the UK, and Italy) which consume 60% of the world's energy and the ciphers are expected to increase 40% by 2020.
Experts believe that the world's oil reservoir may not last more than eighty years. They have studied current oil extraction and consumption rates and have reached the conclusion that even with the intense energy saving strategies exercised by millions of people, the amount of oil and energy consumed will consistently continue to increase. Experts are also aware of the byproducts of the consumption and burning of oil: the global emission levels of CO2 are expected to increase 50% in 2020 aggravating the already established global warming.
The current consumption of oil, hence consumption of energy is one of the greatest counterexamples of sustainable development in the present. Today, the extraction rates of oil exceed the ones suggested in order for the fossil fuels to last for many years. Companies and governments are facing a reality that will affect the whole global population: the world is running out of oil sooner than expected.
There is no immediate way to replace fossil fuels. Even though renewable sources of energy exist, forecasts predict that in 2020 they will only make up 3% of the total global energy consumption.
The current world without oil cannot be even imagined for most of today's technology spins around fossil fuels. This can definitely change. Governments can start implementing policies to become more independent from oil, allowing for the expansion of research and construction of hydro electrical facilities (dams), wind farms (windmills), etc., in order to reduce the impact when oil finally expires.
In conclusion, the world is extracting vast amounts of oil leaving future generations vulnerable to any sort of consequences. Consequences that range from technological to environmental. There is no coming back from this situation, it is irreversible. It is a matter of preparing for the future, expanding research of new sources of electricity and power, and minimizing pollution in order to delay the severe repercussions of global warming (even though we are starting to encounter some). If nothing is done regarding this issue, it could lead to the extinction of the human species and many others of the planet Earth.