SPAIN SEEKS TO BE PART OF INNER CIRCLE ON CLIMATE

UNCLAS MADRID 002126 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/WE, EUR/PGI, OES, OES/E, OES/EGC, OES/E/ENV, OES/OGC,OES/PCI, G:E.WEIGOLD DOE FOR PIA:S.RUEN, EERE:P.DICKERSON,A.CHIANG,J.OWEN COMMERCE FOR 3133/ITA/USFCS/OIO/EUR, 4211/ITA/MAC/EUR, 6110/ITA/MAS/ENERGY PASS PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG KGHG SENV SP SUBJECT: SPAIN SEEKS TO BE PART OF INNER CIRCLE ON CLIMATE CHANGE, VICE-MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT TO PARTICIPATE IN RENEWABLE ENERGY MISSION REF: A. REF: A. MADRID 1823 ¶B. B. MADRID 2064 ¶1. In a Nov. 8 meeting with DCM, GoS Secretary General (Vice-Minister) of Environment for Prevention of Pollution and Climate Change Arturo Aizpiri emphasized Spain,s desire to be part of the inner group of countries focusing on a solution to global climate change. Aizpiri noted the GoS' concern that it was not invited to directly participate in September,s Major Economies Meeting in Washington, despite having one of the ten largest economies in the world. Spain thinks it has a lot to contribute to the challenge of global climate change, both as a major emitter and because of its innovative renewable energy sector. Aizpiri also pointed out that Spanish President Zapatero had, along with President Bush and others, attended U.N. SecGen Ban,s climate change dinner in New York in September. ¶2. Aizpiri acknowledged and expressed the GOS,s appreciation for the seriousness of the USG in efforts to address global climate change. Aizpiri specifically mentioned the high-level USG delegation attending the following week,s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change conference in Valencia. Aizpiri added that the GOS looked forward to working with the USG and other key players beginning in Bali to develop a post-2012 framework on emissions. ¶3. Post had requested the meeting to inform Aizpiri of Post,s strategy for bilateral cooperation on renewable energy, including a Spanish government-business mission to Washington and Colorado planned for mid-February (Ref A). Aizpiri had spoken with Industry and Commerce Vice-Minister Mejia about the mission and expressed enthusiasm about participating. He said he considered the challenge of addressing global climate change to be linked very closely to the development of renewable energy. The renewable energy industry in Spain has experienced rapid growth recently and Spanish companies have become world leaders, in part because of GoS incentives for renewable electricity projects (Ref B). LLORENS