Ahmad Fatemi, the representative of the people of Babol in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, emphasized the need for serious action against violations in the energy sector and said: "Alongside cultural development and reforming consumption patterns, violations must also be addressed according to the law."
The Importance of Reforming Energy Consumption Patterns
Fatemi, in an interview with the media, referred to the necessity of reforming energy consumption patterns and added: "The issue of energy imbalance is multifaceted and cannot solely be attributed to the consumption of the people." He reminded that the people have always shown their support for the country's policies in various fields over the years and should not be spoken of in a way that suggests they are the main cause of the problems in the energy sector.
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He also emphasized that consumption habits need to be reformed and energy should be considered a valuable commodity. Fatemi said: "In a situation where the country faces resource limitations and various pressures, energy cannot be consumed in any form without regard to economic priorities."
Energy Consumption Management in Productive Sectors
The representative of the people of Babol continued: "Today, the country's economy needs energy to remain active. If production is to continue, factories must be operational, and employment must be preserved, we must prioritize energy consumption management for productive sectors, especially industries." He warned that a decrease in production or the cessation of industrial activities due to energy shortages would have negative effects on employment, income, and the macroeconomy of the country.
Fatemi referred to the experiences of various countries in energy consumption management and added: "The issue of energy consumption culture is very serious in different countries. In many countries, people are sensitive to the value of energy and its real cost, and energy consumption is carried out in a planned manner and based on priorities." He suggested that Iran should also learn from the experiences of other countries and, alongside infrastructure development, work on reforming consumption culture and changing consumption habits.
The Necessity of Collaboration Among Institutions
Fatemi emphasized that we must have a multifaceted view of the energy issue and said: "The country is facing sanctions and war on one hand, and on the other hand, it must keep the internal economic cycle active. Therefore, the energy issue cannot be examined separately from the economic and political conditions of the country."
He further clarified: "If energy is consumed in a way that harms the production and industry sector, we may have managed a short-term problem, but on the other hand, we have inflicted a larger damage on the country's economy. Therefore, prioritizing consumption must be based on national interests and preserving the production cycle."
Fatemi stressed the necessity of addressing recklessness in energy consumption and said: "This action should not only target a specific group. If there is excessive consumption, it must be addressed, and if illegal cryptocurrency mining causes excessive energy consumption, it must be countered."
He concluded by saying: "Today, more than ever, we need synergy among the government, parliament, judiciary, industries, and the people. Solving the energy imbalance is not a short-term issue that can be resolved with a temporary decision, but requires planning, investment, reforming consumption patterns, and developing energy production capacity."
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