MAJOR ECONOMIES MEETING ON CLIMATE CHANGE: BRAZILIANS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRASILIA 001952 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR G-D.ROCHBERG, OES/EGC-E.FENDLEY AND D.NELSON DEPT PASS TO CEQ FOR E.LADT AND A.SCHMITZ ENERGY DEPARTMENT FOR S.EULE - CLIMATE CHANGE PROGRAM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV KGHG SENV ENRG KSCA BR SUBJECT: MAJOR ECONOMIES MEETING ON CLIMATE CHANGE: BRAZILIANS EXPRESS PUBLIC, PRIVATE DISAPPOINTMENT REF: (A) STATE 140075, (B) BRASILIA 1742 ¶1. (U) THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED AND NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY. The Brazilian delegation has expressed both public and private disappointment with the September 27-28 meeting in Washington of representatives of major economies to discuss energy security and climate change. After learning at the meeting that the USG was not prepared to assume any mandatory obligations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions the head of delegation, Ambassador Everton Vargas, Under Secretary for Policy from the Ministry of Exterior Relations dismissed USG efforts to show leadership on climate change, telling a leading Brazilian daily that, "You can only have leadership when you, in fact, do something." Dr. Thelma Krug from the Environment Ministry also was disappointed, but thought the meeting was a positive because it gave a chance for further dialogue. She supported having further such meetings, as long as they facilitated the UN process; and she urged that the United States accept France's offer to host the next meeting. Skeptical of USG intentions prior to the meeting and not happy with the results, Amb. Vargas also chose to complain to the press of what he saw as abusive conditions imposed by the Secret Service before President Bush's speech, reportedly telling organizers: "Let's make one thing very clear. Choose one or the other: I am either a suspect or a guest!" END SUMMARY. AMBASSADOR'S VARGAS TAKE: SAME OLD, SAME OLD ¶3. (SBU) The Brazilian delegation to the September 27-28 meeting in Washington of representatives of major economies to discuss energy security and climate change expressed skepticism and disappointment on their return. The head of delegation, Ambassador Everton Vargas, Under Secretary for Policy from the Ministry of Exterior Relations (MRE) told O Globo (the leading national newspaper from Rio de Janeiro in an article published on September 29),that President "Bush did not provide any new ideas. He only recited the old rhetoric and insisted on the resistance to a global goal for the reduction of greenhouse gases emissions," as stipulated in the Kyoto Protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Vargas added, "We only saw the reiteration of what he [President Bush] had already said." In the case of Brazil, Vargas explained, "We don't want this voluntary control approach. Brazil is very much in favor of the multilateral approach." ¶4. (SBU) The O Globo article reported that Vargas described President Bush as trying to convince people that he does not take global warming for granted anymore, but, "in fact, he only defended his stubborn position." While President Bush suggested the creation of an international fund for clean technology, to develop ways to cut emissions, Vargas noted that that such funding already existed within the Kyoto Protocol. ¶5. (SBU) Vargas stressed the Brazilian view about shaping responsibilities based on cumulative or historic emissions. He explained, "Those who benefited from 200 years of development without any kind of concern about the consequences to the planet should lead a common effort. Would it be fair for a developed country that has contributed so much to the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere not to commit to reducing emissions?" ¶6. (SBU) Vargas characterized the meeting as disappointing. He BRASILIA 00001952 002 OF 002 said the delegation had gone to Washington with the view that the meeting was a new opportunity to convince the United States to align itself with the majority of the countries. This did not happen. Vargas downplayed President Bush's efforts to make the United States a leader on global climate change, saying he was using a proposal (i.e., one without obligations) that had already been rejected by the rest of the world. He summed up, "You can only have leadership when you, in fact, do something." DR. KRUG'S VIEW: DISAPPOINTING, BUT WITH SOME POSITIVES ¶7. (SBU) Dr. Thelma Krug, the Head of the Ministry of Environment's Climate Change Office, told ESTH Counselor that the meeting was very disappointing. She had hoped that the United States would signal its willingness to assume obligations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Brazil and other developing countries took the refusal to accept obligations as very negative, Krug opined. She too stressed the Brazilian position that the agreement coming after the Kyoto Protocol should take into consideration "historic emissions". ¶8. (SBU) Krug worried that the sector by sector approach could lead to situations whereby companies might migrate to those countries with the least onerous emissions regimes. She repeatedly underscored that Brazil doesn't want to see a parallel track created alongside the UNFCCC process. She did see some positives. She called having the dialogue on climate change as a very good thing, and that further such meetings would be quite positive so long as they facilitated the UNFCCC process and not work outside of it. ¶9. (SBU) Finally, Dr. Krug strongly urged the United States to accept the French proposal to have the next meeting in France. She thought it would be better for the process to go outside of United States for the next meeting. ADDITIONAL UPSET - PERCEIVED SLIGHT ¶10. (SBU) The newspaper O Globo in its September 29 edition described Ambassador Vargas and the Brazilian delegation, as well as other foreign delegations, as being poorly treated in Washington. In particular, it reported Brazilian complaints that the Secret Service required foreign delegations to the meeting to arrive at 7:30 am. This reportedly made delegations furious as the speech by President Bush was scheduled for 10:15 am. Vargas said he went directly to the meeting's organizers and told them: "Let's make one thing very clear. Choose one or the other: I am either a suspect or a guest!" According to O Globo, Vargas ignored the request and arrived at a time of his choosing and was allowed in. Dr. Krug told ESTH Counselor that the Brazilian delegation was not mistreated, though she thought it was very excessive to have to go through two different sets of metal detectors. (Note: State personnel present were also surprised by the newspaper account. End note.) ¶11. (SBU) COMMENT: The Mission expects to follow up directly with Amb. Vargas to get his first-hand impressions. However, the negative reaction is not surprising, based on the Brazilian skepticism going into the meeting (REF B). END COMMENT. SOBEL