Here is a recent perspective on (moving away from) fossil fuels in FORTUNE magazine by Prof. Mark Barteau at the University of Michigan:
Why a Production Freeze Won’t Fix the Oil Collapse
As discussed in the article, two common arguments for moving away from fossil fuels have been i.) fossil fuels are quickly running out and ii.) high use of fossil fuels makes us highly dependent on foreign oil reserves. However, developments over the past 10 years or so, including the tremendous growth of fracking in the US, have made both issues less urgent than they have seemed to be in the past. Furthermore, it’s likely that we will remain in this state for a while. If society is going to make a meaningful transition away from a fossil fuel based energy system in a in the near future, it needs to be driven by a conscious effort to do so for the sake of the environment and climate. As noted at the end of the article, it is tempting to continue to reap the short-term profits of cheap and abundant fossil fuels, but there is also a huge opportunity to utilize the financial benefits of cheap oil to help accelerate the transition to a truly sustainable energy system.
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