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Fossil fuels help industrial civilization, but I don't think it is the only option. We can produce fuels from organic matter. We can draw on hydro, wind, and so

• mikewarot 5y ago
  Everyone hit a brick wall once they ran out of wood close enough to chop and make charcoal out of for iron production. It was coking coal that started off the industrial revolution. Once coal was being mined, it was possible for Newcomen to build his horribly inefficient steam engine. It was many years later Watt improved his model of the engine, but even then it proved impractical until the precision boring of Wilkinson made it possible to seal a steam engine piston against the precision bored cylinder he made. So, you need a huge surplus of fuel, plus time, plus the invention of precision all to happen as preconditions for a steam engine that works anywhere other than at the top of a coal mine.
• muzani 5y ago
  I remember someone saying that oil will either be too expensive or too cheap. From recent events, it seems like too cheap is the most likely outcome. Nuclear is also picking up fast. The remaining major user of fossil fuel is transportation, and the world has already adopted legislation and other processes to deprecate gas cars. I don't think planes or ships will switch to wind power any time soon though.