Next August, the Johannesburg Summit about Sustainable Development will be held. In this occasion, the European Commission (EC) will introduce a draft about the main role of energy reflected in three dimensions: The economical dimension to guarantee supply, the dimension of the fight against poverty and the dimension of environment protection. According to information provided by the European Commission, 2 thousand million people in the world don’t have access to basic energy services.

The rising demand of energy in the world, and specially in developing countries make one think in a reform and a re-design of the sustainable energetic sector.
Mexico displays a worrying growing tendency in energy demand. We are at the top of the capacity to fulfil the needs of this consumption.
The private sector’s participation in production and distribution, the employ of technology on energetic efficiency and the alternative energy sources such as solar energy, or mini-hydroelectric are reachable solutions according to the European Commission.
The Federal Commission of Electricity (FCE), conveniently, has stated the needs in order to reach a sustainable development in presence of the huge demand. The general director of the Federal Commission of Electricity, Alfredo Elías Ayub, has achieved a true radical re-design of the institution, the modernization of the processes for energetic efficiency, all this is a guarantee to face an eventual open market of power service providers. This task has been recognized as the Federal Commission of Electricity has been awarded the quality international prices ISO 9000 and 14000.
It is appropriate to mention that within a few days, the FCE will engage in one more energy service contract which will reach the number of 20 million of clients. It is terrible that first class officers who work to build a world class quality institution as FCE, second class politicians are slowing down power development in Mexico. Next August 14, the Federal Commission of Electricity will hold its anniversary after 65 years of being founded.
According to oil and its products, President Vicente Fox has launched a warning: “Stop Milking PEMEX”.
On the other hand, its current general director, Raúl Muñoz Leos, has stated that Mexicans are who have stopped our oil industry growth. In this process, he pointed out: “mistrust, the wish of not allowing whatever that is not under our direct responsibility, the fear of not relating with other players of international industry that are as important as ourselves as well as the search of easy solutions in order to fulfil the needs erupted from the Federal Tax Collecting Ministry are aspects that have influenced in this regard”.
Facing the words, facts initiate with the re-design of Salamanca, Madero, Cadereyta and Tula refineries. Hopefully it will be possible to diminish gasoline and fuel oils importation with these and other provisions.
The protocol of the Johannesburg Summit about “Sustainable Development” and the initiatives of the European Commission show a coincidental profile with the Mexican projects on the energy field. We are in the right path, but the obstacles originated by politicians of doubtful ideals persist. It is necessary to act in order to escape from decadence.El

Heraldo de México; as published in July 19, 2002, in México City.