Middle East governments are stepping up their pursuit of energy efficiency by encouraging consumers to manage their electricity consumption. But such policies are in danger of being undermined by huge subsidies for electricity supply.

Regional plans to cut electricity consumption through efficiency measures are based on real economic need. Even for countries with plentiful hydrocarbons resources, electricity provision is expensive and there is competing demand from other industries and export markets for oil and gas. But the policies announced so far appear tentative compared with current global thinking. (CONTINUED - 834 WORDS)