Adil Najam
Are we really serious about energy conservation? And, by ‘we’ I mean all of us, not just the government.
The government is making a high profile move on the subject by announcing new policies for energy conservation, better policing of energy abuse, and of new power generation. We have written about energy often (here, here, here, here, here) and our post on solar energy continues to get much attention.
As someone who works in this area, I know that (a) this is the single most important economic leverage available to economic decision makers in Pakistan, and (b) while not easy, this – unlike other pressing issues, like water, for example – is an area where something could actually be done; because technically and even fiscally there is a real set of useful things that are actually doable.
And, yet, I find my self sadly cynical that things will change. Not just because I am still not convinced that this is a priority for the government and decision-makers but also because I know that our media is too interested in the ‘sexy’ stuff of politics to care much about this, and frankly given all we see in our own energy usage (rich or poor) I am not sure if even we consumers are willing to do anything more than crib (specially, since much that needs to be done for conservation needs to be done by us). Sadly, we pay attention only when things go so very bad that people revert to energy violence.
I feel bad about being so cynical. And I sincerely hope that I am wrong.
P.S. On a related note, here is an op-ed I just published on Pakistani environmentalist Dr. Tariq Banuri’s run to be the next United Nations climate change chief.
The type of energy wastage we see in Pakistan, not just by the rich but even by middle and lower-middle class households is maddening, but the worst culprits are really the industrialists including the small manufacturing industries. It is really the unpaid arrears by many of them as we have seen recently that is causing a big part of the problem and the load-shedding. We should crack down hard on everyone who has not paid past arrears of electricity charges.
@Nadeem:
well thats because in Pakistan if there is a shortage of food, the govt. and all the WISE people will come out with blaming the rest that they eat too much !!!
and i guess that time is going to come very soon.. it has already happened with sugar.. “so what if theres a sugar crisis, just use less sugar” !!!
we’ve already starting this with electricity.. “just stop using electricity to produce your income, so what if u have less electricity.. conserve, because its what the WEST is doing” !!!
but when u tell that to people.. u know what.. hunger is so loud in the background.. they can’t listen.. no matter how WISE you sound to yourself..
No one wants to take responsibility in Pakistan. It is so easy to blame the government even when in this case the even bigger culprits are the users themselves and their wastage. In a more rational society more expensive energy would make people use energy more wisely. In Pakistan even that seems not to work.
According to today’s Dawn,another 25 % increase in the power tariff has been proposed.This has become a regular occurence,repeated every few months.The inevitable cycle of protests and violence has started again and I don’t really blame the protesters.
I say Dear Pakistanis, somehow charge the batteries of your ipods, boomboxes and come out of your dark houses and dance on the streets instead of protesting. You have been lied and fooled.
Get out of your schools, where your were taught crap (sorry teachers). Once you are out of the country, you would have to learn everything all over again. You would say I didnt know this, hmm I didnt know this either.
For eg, I didnt know that in bullfighting as cruel as it is, red color is used not to anger bulls (bulls are colorblind) but a moving object or national color of Purtagal.
I flew over Arizona and I saw plenty of vacant land (desert with long cactuses) where you all can live happily after and never have an electricity shortage.
Let the ignorant Mullahs and corrupt, dishonest and incompetent minister (Liars cum politicians) rule themselves. First price hikes then conserve (unacceptable and inconcievable) We will bomb them later.
For now just shut up and listen to the mooosac!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd8jh9QYfEs&feature=channel