The Quest for Energy Security in Argentina

This report analyzes the failure of market-based energy reforms in Argentina, which led to a high dependency on non-renewable resources and a depletion of natural assets. It argues that relying solely on private and foreign capital for strategic energy decisions was ineffective and recommends a more active public sector role, price policy reform, and strategic agreements with Brazil and Bolivia to secure energy supply and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

• Energy sector reforms intended to attract private capital and market mechanisms failed to diversify the energy matrix or expand supply, instead creating a system highly dependent on non-renewable resources that were rapidly depleted.
• Argentina's reliance on liquid fuels is reversing a previous trend toward a cleaner energy matrix, increasing greenhouse gas emissions. This could be mitigated by increasing the supply of nuclear power, hydroelectricity, renewable fuels, and gas.
• To ensure sustainable energy supply, Argentina needs to recover its decision-making capacity, move away from total reliance on private and foreign capital, and implement a public sector role in designing energy policies, including the use of fuel quotas and public-capital companies.
• Securing energy supply requires strategic international cooperation, specifically reactivating the supply of gas from Bolivia and reaching agreements with Brazil regarding hydroelectric potential.
• Current price policies are inadequate for making supply expansion feasible; a gradual readjustment of prices and tariffs is necessary to encourage investment while maintaining governability.

APA

Kozulj,, R. (2010). The Quest for Energy Security in Argentina. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/quest-energy-security-argentina

Chicago

Kozulj,, Roberto. The Quest for Energy Security in Argentina. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2010. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/quest-energy-security-argentina.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kozulj, |first1=Roberto |title=The Quest for Energy Security in Argentina |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=12 August 2010 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/quest-energy-security-argentina |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kozulj2010quest, author = {Kozulj,, Roberto}, title = {{The Quest for Energy Security in Argentina}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2010}, month = aug, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/quest-energy-security-argentina}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }