SANTIAGO DE CHILE, 15 September 2009: Latin America and the Caribbean are before a historical opportunity to strengthen their public policies on energy efficiency, stated ECLAC (UN Economic Commission for Latin America and th Caribbean) Executive Secretary Alicia Bárcena during the inauguration of an inter-governmental meeting on the issue at the Commission headquarters in Santiago, Chile.
The meeting “Situation and Perspectives on Energy Efficiency in Latin America and the Caribbean” is named after a study prepared by ECLAC and the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) presented during the event. The meeting was organized by ECLAC, OLADE and the German cooperation agency GTZ.
Bárcena stressed that there are still few measures being taken in the region to make a more efficient use of energy. “The fiscal incentives our governments are now offering as a means to overcome the financial crisis should be used in this direction, linking them to investments related to energy efficiency. It is an opportunity we cannot let by,” she said.
The region is ready to commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent through energy efficiency, said Bárcena.
“The region should assume a more proactive position on this issue. Efficiency is perhaps the best means to achieve energy and climate security,” she added.
Referring to Chile’s experience, Energy Minister Tokman noted that the budget this year for improving energy efficiency is 40 times greater than in 2006. “We are strengthening our analytical capacity to design more effective measures. Therefore, all regional studies are welcome,” he said.
Tokman stated that Chile is developing a plan that includes educating children on the importance of protecting energy, informing consumers so they may better select energy-consuming appliances, assisting the productive and public sectors to attain better practices, and providing subsidies to encourage the correct use of energy, among other measures.
Florez stressed the need to advance towards the creation of a database of energy indicators in the region to measure the results of energy efficiency initiatives.
Von Knebel said that his agency would continue to cooperate with projects that improve energy efficiency in the region through, for example, contests that award innovative ideas.
Representatives of the ministries of energy from 15 countries in the region and international organizations participated in the intergovernmental meeting.
Kilde:www.eclac,org
