BRAZIL: INTERESTED IN THE WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL

UNCLAS BRASILIA 002044 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/BSC, WHA/EPSC, OES/PCI SPECHT AND OES/FO HILL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ENRG EPET SENV SOCI TRGY KPAO KGHG BR SUBJECT: BRAZIL: INTERESTED IN THE WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY CONFERENCE (WIREC 2008) REF: A) STATE 138428, B) STATE 80344, C) E-MAILS SPECHT-DRISCOLL 10/25/2007 ¶1. (U) THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED AND NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. ¶2. (SBU) Drawing on REFS, ESTH Counselor Driscoll had a series of conversations in mid- and late-October with Brazilian Ministry of Exterior Relations (MRE) Chief of the Division of Division for New and Renewable Energy Resources, Counselor Claudia Vieira Santos, about the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC),which will take place in March 2008. ¶3. (SBU) Santos showed substantial interest in the topic. She noted that Brazil had attended the two predecessors to WIREC, in Bonn and Beijing. At the last such conference in Beijing, the Minister of Mines and Energy led the Brazilian delegation. For WIREC, she indicated it probably would again be the Minister of Mines and Energy. Currently, that position is being held by Acting Minister Nelson Jose Hubner Moreira. ¶4. (SBU) The MRE will be organizing the Brazilian delegation to WIREC. Santos raised two particular concerns: (1) whether climate change would be on the agenda of WIREC; and (2) whether there would be a repeat of the dispute at a prior such conference over whether hydropower constituted a renewable energy source. For Brazil, hydropower is a major source of electric power generation and they believe it needs to be viewed as an acceptable, clean, renewable energy source. Per REF C, ESTH Counselor responded to Santos that climate change was not included in the agenda, though the question may come up in the conference. Also, he said that the USG was not going to challenge hydropower at WIREC, which was important since the USG is the host. Santos said she would inform the Embassy when she had more details on the composition of the Brazilian delegation. ¶5. (U) The name and mailing address for the Acting Minister of Mines and Energy are as follows: Acting Minister Nelson Jose Hubner Moreira Ministry of Mines and Energy Esplanada dos Ministerios, Bloco "U" CEP: 70.065-900 Brasilia - DF BRAZIL SOBEL