For the trigger in the last 200 years, it is just fossile fuels. Having all this energy provides us with enough food and comfort to survive, thus lot's of spare time and spare manpower dedicated to research and improving tech. It also feeds all these machines we are making.
Going back to renewable will be tough (but is mandatory). We are a species that has been high on cocaine for a couple of centuries and we just realized that it slowly killing us, and it is running out anyway. Our only option is to sober up.
Going back to renewable will be tough (but is mandatory). We are a species that has been high on cocaine for a couple of centuries and we just realized that it slowly killing us, and it is running out anyway. Our only option is to sober up.