How are global issues (food crisis, climate change, conflict in Middle East, etc) affecting Chile?
Ambassador Fernandez: Energy is affecting Chile because we do not have our own sources. The only original Chilean source in use is waterwe have lots of water. But the hydroelectric dams introduced some changes in the environment. You have to use it in a rational way. All other energy sources must be imported. We have two potentialswind and solar energy. We are in the starting period now, so the energy is a big challenge for us. We dont have oil, we dont have gas, and we are very dependent on the foreign supply. The supply and prices are producing in Chile several difficulties. Well, we are working. You pay in Chile for gasoline much more than here. You pay comparatively, I speak in liters, if you pay here almost a $1.00 for a liter, you pay $1.30 or something in Chile. Global warming affects us because it changes the agriculture. You have some unknown natural phenomenon. Last year we had rain during the summertimewe never had that before. There is a growing physical phenomenon in South
