Maria Jose Riquelme

From a ravenous appetite for energy to a smart consumption approach

We have learnt that energy is one such limited resource. It was only a short while ago that we perceived and rated energy as a very valuable and expensive asset whose supply is far from certain. But we realized also there are other safer and cleaner energy sources available albeit more expensive. So, Eureka! We changed our speech and started to talk about energy efficiency; in other words: how to use energy in a more clever way while bearing in mind how valuable this asset really is.

But the issue is that we need to produce the suitable tools aimed at the development of technologies and ideas that will assist us in gaining such energy efficiency status.
  
It was only a short while ago that the Country-Wide Energy Efficiency Programme (Name in Spanish:  “Programa País de Eficiencia Energética”) conducted a seminar on education and the good use of energy resources (please see http://www.ppee.cl/577/article-59330.html - in Spanish). At this event we met with Tony Thomas, Professor of the “Work-Based” Learning initiative of the London South Bank University.

A comment from Tony during his visit is that Chile has the unique opportunity of implementing things in the proper way. As he has repeatedly stated, the United Kingdom is still some 40% behind its declared objectives; chiefly due to the lack of the suitable knowledge and expertise that could lead to its proper and full development. He went on to say that the same reasoning applies to energy efficiency. 

In Chile we are developing medium to long term strategies aimed at a transition onto a more sustainable and cleaner development status. We have learnt very valuable lessons that have prompted us to think about new business opportunities, new markets, new policies and suitable institutions. But, as we must learn from countries such as the United Kingdom, it is also essential to create the talent that should allow us to cope with both a fast growing market and match the speed of changes already looming over the horizon.  

The key fact that most resources available on this planet are in limited supply should compel us – at a far too slow pace in my opinion – to shift our consumption avidness onto a stance whereby our eagerness goes to increasing our knowledge instead.

Posted at 12:09 04 December 2009 by Maria Jose Riquelme  |  Comments[0]

Wine industry getting ready to challenge the impacts of climate change

Packed… absolutely packed. In October, the event “Sustainability, Climate Change and Energy Efficiency in the Chilean Wine Industry” brought together around 300 people at the Ritz Carlton Hotel.

At this event, the British Ambassador to Chile, Mr Howard Drake, introduced the UK-funded study the Economic Impacts of Climate Change on the Wine Industry in Chile and Argentina.  On the occasion, he stressed that this study should serve as a tool for Chilean growers to be better prepared to face the changes and challenges imposed by a changing weather… and to ensure the planet will continue to enjoy the wine from this part of the world!

Some winemakers, such as Jose Guilisasti, said we could already feel climate change. He said that in the 9th region, for example, 25 years ago there was no way they could grow vines, whereas now they’ve found quite good conditions.

PriceWaterhouse Coopers, the implementers, presented the preliminary findings. Some of the expected changes include:

- Winemaking conditions will actually move south
- Possible new plagues
- Strong droughts and higher temperatures may bring the harvest forward and the ripening season might be more difficult to foresee
- A rise in sugar content, hence a rise in the alcohol content
- 20% less water in the rivers of the Central Valley, where most of the vine valleys are located

This didn’t seem new to another winemaker, Mr Pablo Morandé, who explained that Morande Winery had had to take out vines that they’d planted 25 years ago in Casablanca.

Other reactions were not as positive. One person said that he didn’t believe climate change was here or that it could lead to a crisis.

It is sad to see that still irrefutable evidence is put into question. I sensed that there is still a lot of scepticism in terms of the magnitude of the effects and that many see it as an exaggeration or as a conspiracy from the developed world.

In a country that prides itself for its natural assets and a booming wine industry, it may very well be that ignorance is bliss.

Posted at 11:20 05 November 2009 by Maria Jose Riquelme  |  Comments[0]