# What are fossil fuels?

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/what-are-fossil-fuels/
- Published: 2026-11-12T12:04:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-12T12:22:48+00:00
- Original publisher: DW (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.dw.com/en/what-are-fossil-fuels/a-67970540?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
- Topics: World

## Key points

- Fossil fuels formed from ancient organic matter.
- They supply about 80% of global energy.
- Burning them drives climate change.

## Summary

Fossil fuels are coal, oil and natural gas formed from ancient plants and animals buried under heat and pressure over hundreds of millions of years. They have powered modern industry and remain central to daily life, but burning them releases carbon dioxide, making them the biggest contributors to climate change.

Their use has risen eight-fold since 1950, and they supply about 80% of the world’s energy for heating, electricity and transport. They are also used to make products such as steel and plastic. Countries agreed to move away from fossil fuels at COP28, but emissions are still rising; Brazil has presented a roadmap to turn that pledge into national plans.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.