Cost vs Price The price of electricity from wind and solar is
currently higher in most places in the world than electricity
generated by fossil fuels. But the true cost of fossil fuels is
unsustainable—and hidden. According to the World Health
Organization, up to 13,000 deaths per year among children across
Europe are directly attributable to outdoor pollution. In the
US, approximately 64,000 premature deaths from cardiopulmonary
causes may be attributable to particulate air pollution each
year. We all pay for these costs in ways large and small.
Ecosystem services, or the benefits of nature to people, are
also impacted by fossil fuels. The pollution from burning fossil
fuels adds carbon to our atmosphere, causing planetary warming.
Such warming causes many problems. It is a boost to some
insects, which damage valuable forests, and warming negatively
impacts coastal wetlands, which support ocean life and protect
towns and cities. Burning coal, which is the largest source of
electricity production in the US, a