DUTCH SUGGEST INFORMAL MULTILATERAL TALKS ON

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 THE HAGUE 003233

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/UBI/HOLLIDAY
STATE ALSO FOR G/DOBRIANSKY AND OES/A/S TURNER
USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS
EPA FOR ADMINISTRATOR LEAVITT
WHITE HOUSE FOR JAMES CONNAUGHTON
STATE PLEASE PASS TO DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, DEPUTY SECRETARY
MCSLARROW

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV ENRG PREL NL EU
SUBJECT: DUTCH SUGGEST INFORMAL MULTILATERAL TALKS ON
CLIMATE CHANGE

REF: THE HAGUE 2894


1. Summary: In his capacity as Minister of Environment,
Pieter van Geel met with senior USG officials in Washington
(November 15) to discuss post-Kyoto climate change strategy.
He gave the ambassador a readout of his meetings December 6.
Though the Kyoto Protocol will be in effect until 2012,
several environmental conferences in 2005 will shape the
debate over post-Kyoto mechanisms to curb climate change.
Van Geel left Washington reassured that the U.S. is committed
to UN climate convention framework principles. He believes
early coordination and agreement between Europe and the U.S.
on post-2012 climate change fundamentals is key to getting
developing countries to negotiate and participate
meaningfully in future negotiations. The Netherlands wants to
host a meeting between U.S., UK, German and Luxembourg
environmental officials in early 2005. At this meeting,
participants would discuss a set of principles that will help
set the post-Kyoto agenda. End Summary.


2. Ambassador Sobel and econoff met with State Secretary for
Environment Pieter van Geel on 6 December for a readout of
his November 15 trip to Washington (reftel). Van Geel went
to Washington to take soundings on his ideas for "new
avenues" for climate change talks. He met with EPA
Administrator Leavitt, AID Administrator Natsios, CEQ
Chairman Connaughton, and State U/S Dobriansky. Van Geel
also brought with him a formal application to the Carbon
Sequestration Leadership Forum, but said the GONL had more
internal "homework" to do before applying for membership in
the International Partnership on the Hydrogen Economy.


3. Van Geel reported that he found his Washington meetings
interesting and constructive. He firmly believes the US and
Europe should begin sharing views now on what a post-Kyoto
climate change regime might look like. Van Geel was struck
by the fact that in his meetings there was no debate over
climate change causes. He left believing that "the U.S.
seems to have accepted that at least some climate change is
man-made."


4. Van Geel believes an agreement in principle between the
U.S. and EU countries on a post-Kyoto strategy for climate
change is necessary before the larger, developing country
emitters will be convinced to join the discussions. He is
looking for ways developed countries can encourage, and where
necessary, offer incentives to developing countries to adopt
more environmentally sustainable mobility, energy,
manufacturing and natural resource management. Over the past
year van Geel has met with environment and development
officials in South Africa, India, Indonesia, China and Brazil
in preparation for his role as EU representative to the 10th
Conference of Parties (COP10) in Buenos Aeries. On these
visits he was reminded of developing country officials'
priorities: economic growth, then environmental quality.
Van Geel concluded post-2012 climate change talks should
involve IFIs and development banks, as well as donor and
developing countries' finance, economic and development
ministries. Van Geel reiterated this point with the
ambassador, specifically singling out the World Bank as an
important potential partner.


5. At the end of 2005, parties to the framework convention
on climate change will meet at COP11 and, hopefully, agree to
the terms of reference for post-Kyoto global climate change.
In preparation for this meeting, the Germans will host a
conference in Bonn in mid-2005 to set the agenda for the UK
COP11 summit. In advance of this COP11 preparatory
conference the Dutch want to host (possibly in March)
informal consultations with the US, UK, Germany and
Luxembourg. The objective of this meeting would be to share
opinions for the COP11 prepcon's content, the COP11
conference itself, and future post-2012 discussions. Van
Geel promised a written proposal for U.S. participation in
the consultations before the end of the year.


6. Van Geel said the Dutch would retain EU competence for
climate change during the Luxembourg presidency. He pointed
out the UK will make climate change a priority during its
2005 EU and G8 presidencies. The UK will organize a
scientific conference on the dangers of global warming. They
also will organize the COP11 and MOP1 (parties to the Kyoto
Protocol) meetings.

7. Comment: The Dutch have indicated they are willing to
work with us on a common post-Kyoto climate change strategy.
We have found van Geel and, importantly, his international
affairs advisor Yvo de Boer, to be pragmatic and reasonable.
Van Geel has indicated to us he recognizes the limitations of
Kyoto's strict national caps, and the costs those have on
economic growth, especially among developing countries. We
believe he understands future climate change mechanisms must
be more flexible. On this point he may be able to influence
his European counterparts, and serve as an honest broker
between the US and EU climate officials. It would be
advantageous to engage early in these post-Kyoto climate
change discussions. End Comment.
SOBEL