UN COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT'S 14TH

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 USUN NEW YORK 001070 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV SOCI ENRG EAID TRGY ECON UN SUBJECT: UN COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT'S 14TH SESSION (CSD-14) HIGHLIGHTS PRACTICAL, INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO ENERGY REF: A. (A) STATE 36153 ("INCREASING ACCESS TO ENERGY FOR TWO BILLION PEOPLE") ¶B. (B) 2005 STATE 114906 ("UN REFORM: CSD NOW FOCUSED ON ACCESS TO ENERGY") ¶C. (C) STATE 83582 ¶1. (U) Summary: Building on reforms advanced since the World Summit on Sustainable Development, the May 1-12 fourteenth session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-14) successfully focused on practical approaches to increase access to modern energy services. An interagency U.S. delegation headed by U/S Dobriansky presented 41 case studies during the session, leading a trend which saw other key delegations focusing on specific examples rather than abstract rhetoric. The CSD Secretariat will compile these examples into a non-negotiated &Matrix8 of lessons learned and best practices, intended to serve as an information tool for implementers around the world. A number of groups highlighted entrepreneurship and creative local-level solutions during CSD, and the USG succeeded in efforts to catalyze offline dialogue on the need for better voluntary reporting (including concrete &metrics8) on the outcomes of sustainable development activities. While CSD-14 set a positive tone at the mid-point of the 2005-2007 Energy Cycle, EU and G-77 statements foreshadowed an uphill battle to keep the CSD-15 Policy Session (May 2007) focused on results. The EU has indicated a desire for renewable energy targets and timetables, while New York G-77 reps are still not fully comfortable with the newly reformed CSD and may seek to use CSD-15 as a rhetorical and negotiating platform focused on developed country responsibilities. At the close of the session, Qatar,s Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy and Industry, Abdulla Bin Hamad Al-Attiya, was elected to chair CSD-15. End Summary. -------------- BACKGROUND -------------- ¶2. (U) The Fourteenth Session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-14) took place May 1-12 at UN Headquarters in New York City. CSD-14, a &Review Session,8 marked the mid-point of the 2005-2007 CSD Energy Cycle (Ref A). The CSD-15 &Policy Session8 will conclude the CSD Energy Cycle in May 2007. The official outcome of the CSD-14 Session was a non-negotiated Chair,s Summary. Complementing this Summary, the CSD Secretariat will update a non-negotiated "Matrix" of case studies, lessons learned, and best practices, which will be available via the CSD website (www.un.org/esa/sustdev/csd ). Since the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD),the USG has advanced a series of reforms aimed at transforming the CSD into an innovative, action-oriented body. The 2005-2007 Energy Cycle is the second CSD cycle since WSSD. The first (2003-2005) focused on water-related issues (Ref B) -------------- ATMOSPHERICS -------------- ¶3. (U) INSTITUTIONALIZING REFORM: Many of the innovations that the U.S. and others have labored to introduce over the past three years have been institutionalized as core elements of the CSD process. The Partnerships Fair continued at full speed this year, showcasing 33 partnerships through a mixture of presentations, thematic discussions, and exhibition space. The Learning Center, a concept piloted by the Smithsonian Institution, provided on-site capacity building to nearly 600 participants during CSD-14. These activities are now accepted as part of the normal formal functioning of the CSD. Several of the most substantive and productive discussions occurred in these sessions, as well as in overflowing side events convened throughout the two weeks. ¶4. (U) STRONG PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION: The private sector played a noticeably more visible and positive role in this CSD session than in years past. A panel discussion with Ministers and CEOs ) the first time such senior-level private sector participation was fully integrated into a CSD USUN NEW Y 00001070 002 OF 004 session ) provided far more airtime for the CEOs (including the U.S. Chairman of Royal Dutch Shell and the CEO of Alcan) than government representatives. A &Day of Business and Industry8 organized by business umbrella groups, including a Ministerial-level roundtable chaired by U/S Dobriansky, reflected a strengthened commitment on the part of the private sector to highlight solid examples of business engagement. ¶5. (U) SUBSTANTIVE TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS: The large-group technical sessions that composed the bulk of CSD-14 produced healthy discussions, with a number of delegations represented by technical experts from capital. While these discussions could have been considerably more interactive (a number of delegations reverted to set speeches rather than responding to ideas proposed by panelists),several delegations highlighted pragmatic solutions to energy challenges. Despite earlier rumblings from representatives of Small Island Developing States (SIDS),a full-day session on SIDS focused on concrete approaches, steering clear of a contentious discussion on the 2004 Mauritius Strategy. Interventions by Cuba and a few SIDS did mention decline in official development assistance (ODA) to SIDS as a whole, but the ODA theme was not picked up by other SIDS and Commission members and is not included in the final report. The U.S. panel presentations and interventions were well received. ¶6. (U) RHETORIC AT THE OPENING AND CLOSING: The productive technical sessions, however, were bookended by polemics at the opening and closing. Against the backdrop of grumbling from a vocal G-77 minority that the CSD-14 program of work did not reflect a proper balance among all the relevant thematic issues of this cycle, opening plenary statements on May 1 tended toward lengthy policy prescriptions and rhetoric. Speaking on behalf of the G-77, South African PermRep D.S. Kumalo spoke at length on the role of the UN as the only forum where the needs of developing countries could be addressed and several regional blocs spoke about the need for UN procedures to be rigorously followed. Similarly, at the May 12 closing session, South Africa, speaking for the G-77, delivered even sharper rhetoric, asserting that developing country priorities were not adequately reflected in the non-negotiated Chair's Summary and that the summary &in effect has the potential of undermining multilateralism in favour of unbridled corporatism and privatisation.8 Comment: While addressed in a CSD context, the G77,s angst appeared to be at the political level and related to broader UN issues, rather than solely at the substantive agenda of the CSD. End Comment. -------------- COUNTRY POSITIONS -------------- ¶7. (U) G-77: Public statements throughout CSD-14 showed deep divisions within the G-77 over energy and climate issues. OPEC countries forcefully promoted the importance of fossil fuels, while Small Island Developing States (SIDS) called for sharp reductions in fossil fuel use, citing climate change concerns. Comment: The apparent disarray within the G-77 may explain why their group statements stuck to the common ground of broad political rhetoric. End Comment. ¶8. (U) EU: While some individual member states (e.g., The Netherlands, United Kingdom) delivered interventions focusing on concrete actions and the importance of non-negotiated outcomes, Austria,s statements as EU President often remained at the abstract level, providing laundry lists of general concepts and approaches. Reprising a contentious issue from the 2002 WSSD, the EU has put renewable energy targets and timetables back on the table for CSD-15, despite our and many other delegations, indications that this is a non-starter. The EU is also advocating monitoring and follow-up arrangements on energy. ¶9. (U) OTHERS: Australia and Canada, along with the United States, were most vocal among the &JUSCANZ8 (Japan, U.S., Switzerland, Canada, Australia, Norway, New Zealand, and others) group in bringing forward concrete examples. None of USUN NEW Y 00001070 003 OF 004 the JUSCANZ countries has indicated a must-have issue they will push for during CSD-15; several have expressed concern that CSD-15 will be dominated by contentious negotiations. -------------- DELIVERING THE U.S. MESSAGE -------------- ¶10. (U) The U.S. delegation, headed by Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky, carried out a multi-pronged strategy to convey its message on energy. U/S Dobriansky was a featured speaker on the opening panel of the high-level session chaired by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. Her remarks underscored U.S. domestic and international efforts to address energy supply, security and sustainability. OES Assistant Secretary McMurray joined Under Secretary Dobriansky for a series of bi-lateral meetings during the high-level segment (REF C and SEPTEL). The U.S. delegation also benefited from the strong engagement of its private sector, local authority and youth representatives, who were able to reach out to their constituent groups to reinforce the U.S. message. ¶11. (U) During each of the thematic discussions, technical experts on the U.S. delegation presented 2-3 case studies illustrating U.S. lessons learned and best practices. Over the two weeks, the U.S. delegation presented 41 case studies in all and distributed a compilation of these interventions widely at CSD-14. This compilation, &Practical Solutions to Energy Challenges,8 is available on the web at http://www.state.gov/g/oes/sus/csd/2006/inter /. ¶12. (U) A U.S. side event featured representatives from DOS, DOE, EPA, USAID, USDA and the New York State Energy Agency. The presentations, which highlighted successful domestic and international programs, generated a lively Q&A session as well as compliments on the substance and organization of the presentations. In addition, the U.S. delegation hosted three well-attended briefings for civil society representatives as well as sessions for several of the major group caucuses. A U.S. delegation website with additional information was accessible via the USG partnerships website at: http://www.sdp.gov. -------------- OUTCOMES -------------- ¶13. (U) CONCRETE EXAMPLES TAKE CENTER STAGE; MATRIX GAINING SUPPORT: A strong emphasis on case studies and best practices effectively pushed the dialogue from abstract rhetoric to concrete solutions. In addition to the 41 examples introduced by the U.S. during the two weeks, Australia distributed a booklet of 14 examples and a number of other developed and developing country delegations either tabled concrete examples or indicated their intent to do so shortly. On the margins, delegations warmed up to the &Matrix8 of lessons learned and best practices being developed by the Secretariat and agreed with the need for a user-friendly, SIPDIS web-based information tool that can make the examples collected during the CSD process available to implementers at the local level but remained non-committal as to how prominent the matrix should be within the CSD. ¶14. (U) HEIGHTENED FOCUS ON METRICS: Throughout the session, the U.S. underscored the need to produce and report measurable results. A USG-hosted informal dialogue with key government, business, and non-governmental representatives catalyzed discussion on common issues in metrics reporting. Business participants said they would follow up on the metrics issue with their umbrella organizations including the Business Roundtable. The CSD Secretariat agreed to work with U.S. representatives on identifying examples of best practices for future partnership reporting. ¶15. (U) SHOWCASING ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND CREATIVE SOLUTIONS: Several groups highlighted innovative sustainable development projects during CSD-14. The World Bank brought the winners USUN NEW Y 00001070 004 OF 004 of their Development Marketplace competition to CSD to meet delegates and participate in a panel discussion. The International Chamber of Commerce, the International Business Leaders Forum, and UNDP held a ceremony to announce and showcase the 10 winners of the World Business Awards, which recognize businesses taking innovative approaches in pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals. The Supporting Entrepreneurs for Environment and Development (Seed) Initiative, which seeks to catalyze locally-driven entrepreneurial partnerships, held a &Seed Forum8 to highlight winners of the first round of Seed Awards and launch the second call for submissions. At a reception the night before, Under Secretary Dobriansky announced that the United States would renew its financial commitment to Seed for its second awards cycle. Representatives from UNDP and the Global Environment Facility highlighted the efficacy of their Small Grants Program in catalyzing creative solutions. The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) hosted a two-day Energy Efficiency Investment Forum on the margins of CSD-14 to discuss innovative approaches to financing energy efficiency projects. ¶16. (U) PROGRESS ON PARTNERSHIPS: Responding to interest expressed by a number of delegations on the margins, the U.S. chaired an informal meeting to discuss potential next steps on partnerships, including the possibility of a third Partnerships Forum that would build on the previous forums hosted by Italy in 2003 and Morocco in 2004. Many in the business community responded favorably to the idea, but suggested that multi-stakeholder participation in the management structure and a stronger business focus would be essential for future forums. A representative from the U.S. Business Council agreed to draft a concept paper on this topic. The paper will be discussed by stakeholders this summer. -------------- LOOKING AHEAD -------------- ¶17. (U) At the close of the session, Qatari Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy and Industry Abdulla Bin Hamad Al-Attiya was elected as Chairman of CSD-15. Minister Al-Attiya will be joined on the CSD-15 Bureau by the Czech Republic, Australia, Burkina Faso, and a Latin American country to be determined later. CSD-15 will take place April 30-May 11, 2007 and will be preceded by an Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting February 26-March 1). BOLTON