BRAZIL'S RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRASILIA 002131 SIPDIS STATE TO OES/PCI FOR LSPERLING STATE TO OES/ETC EFOX, CDAWSON STATE TO WHA/BSC FOR WPOPP STATE TO OES/STC FOR RDRISCOLL STATE TO G FOR CCONNORS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV TBIO KSCA BR SUBJECT: BRAZIL'S RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION INITIATIVES REF: (A) BRASILIA 1292, (B) STATE 140401 ¶1. SUMMARY: Post presented points in reftel A to Brazil's Ministry of the Environment(MMA). MMA understands that despite limited resources at this time, the USG is willing to begin outlining plans for technical support. MMA agreed to work through the Common Agenda for the Environment (CAE) framework. A Government of Brazil decision on participation in the Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT) may not be announced until the ministerial-level meeting planned for early next year. END SUMMARY. -------------- Framework for Cooperation -------------- ¶2. Bureau's response to Brazil's request for technical cooperation (reftel B) was delivered belatedly due to MMA involvement in the final weeks of Brazil's presidential elections. Post spoke with Fernando Lyrio e Silva, Director of International Relations, at MMA. Lyrio agreed to use the CAE as a framework for the collaboration, although Post did not take this as a commitment that MMA would not renew their request for an MOU somewhere down the line. He supported the concept of creating working or "ad hoc" groups through which the actual work would be planned, with the CAE serving as a vehicle for reporting and oversight. ¶3. Post suggested the creation of work plans to satisfy the MMA desire for a written document to "tie together" priorities and objectives for each area of work. These work plans could be under the cover of letters of understanding signed by the Under Secretary and her Brazilian counterpart. ¶4. Lyrio noted that the CAE was organized by Itamaraty, the Brazilian foreign ministry, and in the past it had discouraged the use of the CAE as a forum for technical discussions. ¶5. Post believes part of Lyrio's concern about getting a plan down on paper has its roots in the political situation in Brazil. He hinted that he may not retain his post after January 2007, even if the current Brazilian President wins reelection. (NOTE: In Brazil's presidential election held October 1, the current Administration came out just short of the votes needed for a clean win. A second runoff election will be held on October 29.) Lyrio has been the driving force in MMA toward collaboration with the United States. ¶6. Post also presented to Bernardo Velloso, Chief of the Environment division at Itamaraty, the proposed list of areas for technical collaboration proposed by MMA, and suggested that these collaborations may be an agenda item at the next CAE. Velloso said Itamaraty always wants to be aware of the substance of technical discussions but geared the agenda of the CAE toward policy issues. -------------- Anti-Trafficking in Wildlife -------------- ¶7. In conversations regarding the decision to join CAWT, Velloso informed Post that it is Brazil's intent to engage in the processes of internal discussion between now and the November CAWT meeting in London where Brazil plans to participate in the debate. Velloso said that an announcement could be made at the CAWT ministerial event planned for early next year. In separate conversations with the Ministry of the Environment on CAWT, Fernando Lyrio, said the Ministry, including IBAMA, had satisfied any concerns it had (in part due to the informative September DVC hosted by OES/ETC) but the final decision rested with the foreign ministry. ¶8. The previously scheduled U.S. Fish and Wildlife training for Brazilian federal police is on track to take place October 16-27, 2006, in the Pantanal and as noted in reftel, forensics will be given special emphasis. -------------- Chemicals -------------- ¶9. EPA International Relations Specialist Luis Fernandez, accompanied by Scioff Matt Golden, met with Marilia Cerqueira, Director of the Ministry of Environment's (MMA) Office of Chemicals Management to discuss MMA's support for an EPA-administered UNEP mercury partnership project in Brazil. Although Cerqueira began the meeting in a confrontational manner, fronting a position that without an MOU the MMA could not undertake the project with a USG counterpart, her position evolved over the course of the conversation to one of strong support for the technical cooperation package. Cooperation from the MMA on the UNEP Mercury Partnership BRASILIA 00002131 002 OF 002 appears to be finally on course. -------------- Parks and Protected Areas -------------- ¶10. In 2005, this office, working with U.S. Embassy Brasilia PA, scheduled the visit of a National Park Service (NPS) concessions director to visit Brazil, as part of a Post-developed package of technical assistance for the MMA. This support had been requested specifically by Brazil's Environment Minister Silva during her 2005 visit to Teton National Park and subsequent discussions with Don Murphy, NPS deputy director. This outstanding speaker, Cindy Orlando, visited Brasilia September 18-19 and consulted with MMA about ways of sharing best practices in this period of extremely limited resources. Using this expertise, coupled with advice given by Michelle Zweede, U.S. Forest Service, who spent time in Brazil earlier this year, Post hopes to find a way to fund exchange visits for park directors and other key employees. Post will also take advantage of the visit of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service team scheduled to arrive in Brasilia next week to come up with creative ways to collaborate. Post will work closely with the Bureau in the development of future activities. -------------- Water and Wetlands Management -------------- ¶11. Post would be delighted to have Bureau support in re-scheduling the visit of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to Brazil to consult on water management issues. We have passed to MMA the information on the wetland capacity building resources of RAMSAR Regional Center for Training and Research on Wetlands. -------------- Repatriation of Species -------------- ¶12. Post will send a separate cable on the informal request by MMA to open talks on repatriation of U.S. species found illegally in Brazil. ¶13. COMMENT: Post will continue to work with the Bureau to facilitate scheduling of the next CAE since all work to establish a work plan to map out future bilateral collaboration on these issues will begin with that meeting. Post welcomes guidance on next steps on CAWT. SOBEL