Energy 'conservation'

Energy consumption must fall by 40% per GDP by 2020, says the government's agenda. This is essentially realistic if we base our assumptions on an ever greater proportion of GDP being created by services to the detriment of manufacturing, says Industry Minister Martin Říman. Manufacturing, led by automobiles, accounted for 96.9% of the growth last year in exports, says the Statistical Office. If the EU tightens emissions controls, says Škoda Auto, we might go East and take our jobs with us. If job- replacement and emissions-control policies kill Czech manufacturing, logic says, exports will collapse. But then so will energy consumption, allowing the cabinet to meet its agenda. In the beginning was the deed, said Goethe, but if you don't do anything, you can't screw anything up, says a Czech adage. With regard to the government's energy policy, the less done the better. [Czech Republic European Union ODS]