As it finally begins to dawn in many countries that energy saving is one of the keywords to tackle not only climate change but also the high energy prices Japan  seems to have learned this lesson in the seventies and began to develop an energy efficient economy. In the New York times this article was released on the 4th of July 2008. St. Maarten could become also an important hub for these kind of developments but then our political leaders have to wake up fast and do something with this important diversification opportunity and start working on incentives to promote a sustainable development on the island. The tax legislation could be an important tool to promote energy efficiency. We could just embrace the energy star program that promotes appliances that are energy efficient which means that people will become more aware of the energy consumption and businesses will then import more energy friendly appliances. The government has to become aware of their important role in this community and start promoting these developments actively. I know from sources that for example the new airport is using an enormous amount of energy to keep it (very) cool but due to the fact that there is no expertise they are wasting hundreds of thousands of dollars (which will be paid by?) It is one of the many examples that show that St. Maarten has a very long way to go before issues like this will be tackled by government representatives.

 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/04/world/asia/04japan.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

"KUMAGAYA, Japan — With its towering furnaces and clanging conveyer belts carrying crushed rock, Taiheiyo Cement’s factory looks like an Industrial Revolution relic. But it is actually a model of modern energy efficiency, harnessing its waste heat to generate much of its own electricity. The Keihin mill captures heat and gases to generate power. Engineers from China and elsewhere in Asia come to study its design, which has allowed the company to slash the amount of power it buys from the grid.

The plant is just one example of Japan’s single-minded dedication to reducing energy use, a commitment that dates back to the oil shocks of the 1970s that shook this resource-poor nation.

Now, with oil prices hitting dizzying levels and the world struggling with global warming, the country is hoping to use its conservation record to take a rare leadership role on a pressing global issue. It will showcase its efforts to export its conservation ethic — and its expensive power-saving technology — at next week’s meeting in Japan of the Group of 8 industrial leaders.

“Superior technology and a national spirit of avoiding waste give Japan the world’s most energy-efficient structure,” Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said in a speech outlining his agenda for the meeting. Japan “wants to contribute to the world,” he said."