The case for fossil fuels being an energy poverty panacea is not compelling and more likely bogus.
"A 2019 study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that pollution from burning fossil fuels — like particulates, sulfur oxides, and nitrogen oxides — kills 3.6 million people per year. Conversely, reducing air pollution has massive health, economic, and social benefits. Some researchers have found that the air quality improvements alone more than make up the cost of the transition to clean energy."
"Another worry is that fossil fuel infrastructure is expensive. It can take years to build up the mines, pipelines, and roadways to support power plants and refineries, and these billion-dollar investments can take decades to pay back, creating a long commitment to continue burning fossil fuels. But the world needs to dramatically cut fossil fuel use in the coming years. While the onus is on wealthy countries to make the biggest, most aggressive reductions, eventually every country will need to taper off. That time could come before these fossil fuel investments are paid off, creating stranded assets."
