Abstract

In the energy sector, governments seek, through various public policies, to achieve a balance between greater economic growth, social well-being, and a minimum impact on the environment. In Mexico, sovereignty and security were promoted to the top of the energy policy guidelines in the current government, and efforts have been made to strengthen public organizations, such as the Federal Electricity Commission (known as CFE for its name in Spanish) and Petróleos Mexicanos (known as Pemex for its name in Spanish), putting aside private investments; that is, it is based on an energy model with a nationalist approach instead of a global one and with more openness like that of its predecessors. This article analyzes the impact of this new approach on the sustainability of the energy sector. Although the current administration has managed to recover energy sovereignty, has guaranteed energy supply in the country, and has kept the increase in gasoline prices and electricity rates below inflation, Mexico still has marked energy poverty, and national consumption of energy continues to depend almost completely on fossil fuels. A bittersweet panorama is concluded that tends to prolong the decline in sustainability since a notable lag can be observed in the incorporation of clean energies in addition to a notable slowdown in the energy transition that environmental crises are urgently demanding. It is necessary to maintain energy security and sovereignty without undermining efforts to accelerate the transition toward a more sustainable energy sector.