Buenos Aires 2001

Preamble

"ENERGY MARKETS: THE CHALLENGES OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM"

WORLD ENERGY CONGRESS
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
21-25 October 2001

Preamble

The 18th World Energy Congress was the first major global energy event of the 21st century and the first Congress ever held in the region of Latin America and the Caribbean. In his Opening Address to delegates, Argentine President de la Rua stated that modern energy services for everyone is a key to sustainable development, harmony and peace throughout the world. Three current Heads of State from Latin America and the former President of Romania, 25 ministers, and many leaders of global and local energy companies led four keynote addresses and eleven roundtables. Over 3000 delegates from 99 countries participated in the debates. 215 technical papers were published for the Congress, 137 of which were delivered by their authors in discussion or poster sessions. The World Energy Council (WEC) millennium statement "Energy for Tomorrow's World - Acting Now!" established the goals of energy accessibility, energy availability and energy acceptability on which the Congress focussed. The WEC's triennial Survey of Energy Resources and six new reports on Energy Technologies in the 21st century, Latin America and Caribbean Energy Markets in Transition, the Ethical Dimension of the Energy Business, Performance of Generating Plant, Energy Efficiency Policies, and Living in One World were released and can be obtained at www.worldenergy.org. Recent publications by the WEC on Pricing Energy in Developing Countries and on Electricity Market Design in Asia-Pacific were also discussed. A successful Students Programme was linked to the Congress. 54 students from 26 countries participated in special seminars and briefings involving experts from WEC Member Committees. The Congress was held with the backdrop of the horrifying events in the United States in September 2001. However, the delegates were determined to get on with the job of sustainable energy development for the greatest benefit of all and looked forward to the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development to be held in South Africa in September 2002.