3RD WORLD CLIMATE CONFERENCE: DECISION ON HOLDING

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GENEVA 001780 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR OES FOR H.WATSON STATE FOR OES/EGC FOR D.REIFSNYDER AND STAFF STATE FOR IO/T FOR G.ROBTERS COMMERCE PASS NOAA FOR DUS J.KELLY, R.MASTERS, W.BOLHOFER USEU AND USUN FOR EST OFFICERS NAIROBI FOR USUNEP FOR K.LEVINE BERLIN FOR ECON FOR M.GOWER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV TSPL TPHY WMO SUBJECT: 3RD WORLD CLIMATE CONFERENCE: DECISION ON HOLDING CONFERENCE POSTPONED FOR ANOTHER YEAR REF: STATE 113139 GENEVA 1432 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR THE INTERNET - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY ¶1. (U) The World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) Executive Council requested at its 57th session (June 21- July 1) that the WMO Secretary-General form a provisional organizing committee to develop a meeting plan for a third World Climate Conference and submit that plan to the Executive Council for review and decision at its 58th session. Planning will be based on the May 2005 WMO Ad Hoc Exploratory Committee on World Climate Conference 3 (WCC-3) recommendation that the conference's overarching theme should be scientific advances in seasonal to interannual and possibly decadal prediction. ¶2. (U) Many Executive Council members advocated taking a decision about holding the conference during their 57th session. However, the U.S., Canadian, and Australian Permanent Representatives resisted, citing the lack of a concrete plan and consultations with relevant international bodies and WMO member states. In response, the Executive Council asked that those things be completed over the coming year, so that it would be in a position to take a decision at its 58th session in summer 2006. ¶3. (SBU) COMMENT: From a U.S. perspective, the outcome was positive. A final decision about holding the conference was postponed, the WMO recognized that the climate field is now crowded and that it cannot work in isolation, and the Executive Council expressed support for seasonal to internannual and possibly decadal prediction as the focus of such a conference. Looking ahead, we should consider our engagement in the work of the provisional organizing committee. Support in the Executive Council for holding a third World Climate Conference will remain strong. Therefore, it would be in our interest to participate in order to keep the planning efforts squarely focused on the topic of seasonal to internanual prediction. END COMMENT. ¶4. (U) Begin excerpt from the approved text for inclusion in the final report for the 57th session of the WMO Executive Council regarding a third World Climate Conference: 3.2.1.10 The Council was informed that, following the request of the Fourteenth Congress, the Secretary General established an Ad Hoc Exploratory Committee on World Climate Conference 3 (WCC-3). This Committee met in Geneva in May 2005 and produced a report on a possible WCC-3. The Council welcomed with appreciation the report of the Ad Hoc Exploratory Committee and its recommendation that the WMO consider the development of a WCC-3 on the basis outlined in its report. The report proposed scientific advances in seasonal to interannual and possibly decadal forecasting as an overarching theme for the Conference. 3.2.1.11 Some voiced support for the proposed theme, citing the socioeconomic benefits to be gained and its relevance to policy makers. Many voiced their support for the idea of WMO organizing such a Conference and establishing an organizing committee to coordinate relevant matters with UN agencies and other international entities at different levels and facilitate their participation as well as financial contribution in the conference. However, a number were not ready to decide on holding a WCC-3, because the scope, outcomes and resources for it warranted further clarification and elaboration, and relevant international organizations had not been consulted. 3.2.1.12 The Council agreed on the importance of communicating widely on the scientific advances in seasonal to interannual and possibly decadal forecasting through a World Climate Conference, and decided: -- To request the Secretary-General to establish a provisional organizing committee to develop a meeting plan for WCC-3, working on the basis of the recommendation of the Ad Hoc Exploratory Committee on WCC-3, to develop proposals on the scope, science programme, content of high-level segment, timing and budget of WCC-3; -- To request the Secretary-General to consult with relevant international bodies including FAO, IPCC, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO, UNFCCC and WHO in developing proposals and potential partnership in WCC-3; -- To request the Secretary-General to conduct a round of consultation with the Members regarding the meeting plan for WCC-3; -- To request the Secretary-General to submit the costed meeting plan developed by the provisional organising committee to EC-LVIII for review and decision. End text ¶5. (U) Further reporting on the 57th session of the WMO Executive Council will follow SEPTEL. The U.S. Permanent Representative to WMO --Brigadier General John J. Kelly, Jr., USAF Retired -- and his U.S.-based advisors did not have a chance to clear this cable before their departure from Geneva. MOLEY