What would happen to our world if our energy unexpectedly disappeared? Fossil fuels are very important to our world because they provide the vast majority of our global energy. So what happens when they run out? This research paper approaches this issue with a balanced view by attempting to address the question of which sources could provide energy in the future and reach an objective conclusion. As the world enters a new century, new energy sources such as wind, solar and hydrogen must be developed to help the world continue operating at full capacity. With the development of these new energy sources, our world would become a cleaner place and the energy crisis would resolve itself. Global Energy: Facts and Figures Today, the world uses an astonishing amount of energy. Whether it's unleaded gasoline from a local gas station or electricity from a local coal-fired power plant, the truth is that most energy comes from a source not renewable. “When it comes to fossil fuel types, oil provides almost 40% of the energy used worldwide. Coal is the world's other major energy source and provides nearly 30 percent of the world's energy consumption. Most coal is burned in power plants to produce electricity. The remaining 30 percent of the world's energy is produced by other sources such as nuclear power and hydroelectric power” (Mathewson, 1999, p. 277). As you can see here, almost 70% of our fossil fuel consumption comes from oil and coal. Modern culture seems to care little about the amount of energy used and its possible effects on the environment. Energy consumption per person has been increasing since the early 1900s. “In 1990, the average American used 11.2 short... average sheets of paper... until the 21st century. Either way, the world needs to start focusing on clean, renewable alternatives to provide energy. Furthermore, cleaner energy sources must be found and the whole world must start saving more energy to improve the situation, especially those countries that emit the most. But to reap the benefits of renewable energy, we need to invest more in technology and research. If research does not focus on new energy sources, the world will be thrown into total chaos when current energy sources run out. To avoid a period of economic free fall, the implementation of new clean and renewable energy sources must be implemented quickly. By doing this, when the time comes and fossil fuels are no longer a source of energy, the world will already be using the energy of the future, renewable energy..