The Financial Times of May
3, 2004 included the article: "Argentina plans incentives in attempt to
reduce soaring energy consumption," this because of an energy sources
crisis.  I did not find this disturbing at all.  Actually, I think
this is the best news of the day.  

In March, gas and
electricity generation grew 14 per cent compared with the same month last year,
yet consumption is growing even faster and demand for public services increased
by 20 per cent during that same period resulting in serious energy supply
shortages.  At first the government turned to reneging long term contracts
for supplying natural gas to neighboring Chile, stepping towards an
international conflict.  All this because Argentina is finally stepping out
from the economic freeze that was induced by years of mismanagement by the
previous governments, and the unbridled foreign domination of the
economy.  

Then, the light of
imagination struck! "BY SAVING ENERGY YOU BENEFIT AND THE COUNTRY
BENEFITS" and President Nestor Kirchner decreed that those that consume 95
per cent or less gas and electricity than during the same period last year will
get a reward, and those that will consume more than the suggested 95 per cent
will pay a penalty of up to 50 per cent more for each Kwh of electricity and up
to 40 per cent more for every cubic meter of gas.  Surely, this led to
response from business and private individuals calling it unfair - they even
threatened that this will knock off one per cent of Argentina’s expected
growth.  But we know that "necessity is the mother of innovation"

and it can be trusted that Argentina will rather do both - save energy and make
gains in the process.  

The President promised to
unveil a full energy policy by May 11, 2004.  The one thing that should
rather worry us is that President Kirchner is expected to come for an unofficial
visit to the US this week and hopefully his hosts here will not dissuade him
from his bold steps.  We would rather like to see Argentina lead the world
to the introduction of Renewable Sources of Energy and programs of Energy
Efficiency.  All this keeping also in mind the Buenos Aires meeting this
December of the Conference of the Parties that signed the U.N. Convention on
Climate Change.  Argentina could provide us the needed Governmental
leadership example and lead the way to an environmentally safer future. 

The efforts made now by
Argentina could also be a policy input for the June European Union led
meeting  in Bonn on Renewables.

(This article was first posted on CultureChange.org)