A bill presented by deputy Julio Cobos seeks to modify the time zone of the country. The proposal involves setting the clocks back by one hour in Argentina, with the aim of saving energy and improving health conditions.
The text – awaiting inclusion in the agenda of the session on July 2nd of the Lower House – proposes to establish the time zone located four hours west of the Greenwich meridian as the official time.
The proponent argues that, according to the International Time Zone System, that is the time zone that corresponds to our country, not the current one of -3.
Arguments for Changing the Time Zone
“Argentina currently has one of the greatest differences between solar time and official time. This not only affects electricity consumption but also the academic performance of our students,” said Julio Cobos on his social media when he presented the project.
“This is particularly serious for provinces located further west, the Andean provinces. Because they are much more out of sync with their natural time,” said chronobiology specialist Diego Golombek to Infobae.
The specialist believes that taking advantage of sunlight in the morning synchronizes the biological clock, improves alertness, and mood as well.
Cobos’ project contemplates the possibility that the Executive Branch may consider maintaining the UTC-3 time zone during the summer.
Does Setting the Clock Forward Guarantee Energy Savings?
The energy issue is one of the most discussed aspects of the bill. Deputy Cobos believes that the international context necessitates adjusting the time zone. The project references the global energy crisis, exacerbated by armed conflicts.
It also mentions the impact of increases in international prices of hydrocarbons such as coal, gas, and oil.
However, the intention of saving energy by starting the workday one hour later in winter and thus making better use of sunlight clashes with a report prepared by the Ministry of Energy in 2017.
This study “Analysis of Changing Time Zones in Argentina” indicates that switching to the UTC-4h time zone in winter does not benefit energy savings. This is because advancing the sunset by one hour to around 5 pm (during peak activity hours) “would result in an increase in energy demand at dusk, creating a greater demand for energy, which is not offset by morning savings.”
In line with Cobos, in Mendoza, there have been legal initiatives to change the official time in the province. “We are asking for the time zone change, moving the clocks an hour earlier, which implies savings and protection from the cold. Additionally, this leads to more energy consumption for heating environments,” said legislator Jorge Difonso from La Unión Mendocina.
