Part 4/11:
Civilization's dependence on abundant energy cannot be overstated; historical analyses indicate that fossil fuels were crucial in initiating the Industrial Revolution. The EU’s green energy policies aim to replace fossil fuel use in transportation and energy production, yet as of now, only 24.5% of energy consumption in the EU derives from renewable sources. The EU’s revised Renewable Energy Directive seeks to augment this to 42.5% within five years—a Herculean task considering that over half of Europe's population remains reliant on fossil fuels for basic needs, such as home heating.