Fossil Fuels, and Human and Environmental Well-Being

Abstract

Long-term trends for human population, longevity, and GDP, and other measures of human wellbeing show a characteristic “hockey stick” shape, with the blade tracking fossil fuel usage. Affordable and reliable energy, available virtually around the clock each day of the year, made possible major advances in public health, safety, mobility (physical as well as income), education, and culture. Fossil fuels have enabled reductions in global hunger, poverty, deaths from extreme weather events, and increases in access to improved water sources, and sanitation. Past and present trends in these indicators of human well-being show that there is no empirical support for the warmist narrative that CO2-induced warming has reduced — or will any time soon reduce -- human well-being.

Full text

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AD 1‒1000
(%)
AD 1000‒1750
(%)
AD 1750‒2014
(%)
Population 0.02 0.14 0.85
Prosperity
(GDP per
capita)
0.00 0.05 0.99
Life
expectancy
0.01 0.01 0.39
CO2
emissions
3.12
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Life expectancy in
1950 (unadjusted)
(yrs)
Health-adjusted
life expectancy –
2000
(yrs)
Health-adjusted
life expectancy –
2015
(yrs)
China 41 64.6 68.5
India 32 54.2 59.6
USA 68 67.2 69.1
World 49 63.1
Atmospheric CO2
level (ppm)
311 370 401
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