<P> An example of such regulation in the USA is the "EPA is implementing policies to reduce airborne mercury emissions . Under regulations issued in 2005, coal - fired power plants will need to reduce their emissions by 70 percent by 2018 .". </P> <P> In economic terms, pollution from fossil fuels is regarded as a negative externality . Taxation is considered one way to make societal costs explicit, in order to' internalize' the cost of pollution . This aims to make fossil fuels more expensive, thereby reducing their use and the amount of pollution associated with them, along with raising the funds necessary to counteract these factors . </P> <P> According to Rodman D. Griffin, "The burning of coal and oil have saved inestimable amounts of time and labor while substantially raising living standards around the world". Although the use of fossil fuels may seem beneficial to our lives, this act is playing a role on global warming and it is said to be dangerous for the future . </P> <P> Moreover, these environmental pollutions impacts on the human beings because its particles of the fossil fuel on the air cause negative health effects when inhaled by people . These health effects include premature death, acute respiratory illness, aggravated asthma, chronic bronchitis and decreased lung function . So, the poor, undernourished, very young and very old, and people with preexisting respiratory disease and other ill health, are more at risk . </P>

The source of the carbon in fossil fuels is