The Energy Transition: Where We Came From, Where We Are, and Where We Are Going

This chapter summarizes the historical development of our global fossil fuel dependence, the current state of fossil fuel consumption, and the emerging transition to cleaner, sustainable energy solutions. Issues around rural community dependence on fossil fuel economies will be illustrated and linked to public health impacts. In the near future, dependence on coal and natural gas will decline, both for rural communities and for the global economy, and communities that have been dependent on fossil fuel economies will need to make the transition to sustainability alongside global changes. Their proactive efforts to make this transition will be instrumental to their success and to their improved public health, and it is within the capacity of these communities to undertake these efforts and take command of their own futures.