Understanding Sustainability in the Classroom: Recognizing the Crucial Role of Fossil Fuels

Abstract The public has increasingly been bombarded with daily news media regarding climate change causing irreversible damage to the planet. Buzz words like "Climate Crisis", "Net-Zero", and "Carbon-Neutral" are being broadcast – some are being used to amplify the climate change our planet is experiencing, and others, like "Net-Zero", are being used as proclamations of proof that companies, governments, and the general public are preventing additional greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere. With the steady and undeniable rise in carbon dioxide emissions within the atmosphere often being directly linked to the oil and gas producers, many of the next generation of professionals are turning away from careers in petroleum engineering. This is observed both in enrollment in post-secondary programs, as well as a shortage of new engineers. However, in light of past global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and other major geopolitical events in the Middle East, the world has been experiencing an equally and arguably more widespread crisis – the Energy crisis. The global economy has never been as connected as it is today, and previous energy crises such as the Oil Embargo or Iraq war previously caused more localized effects. However, the disruption from recent geopolitical events are now felt on a global scale. The science of sustainability, climate change, and our connection to fossil fuels is a complex topic – one that is not well understood by most. It is the job of experts within the industry to educate future generations on global demand for efficient use of fossil fuels, and the industry focus on providing reliable energy and goods to provide a quality of life for all.