READOUT OF APRIL 10 MEETING ON UK SECURITY COUNCIL

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000290

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV UNSC UK
SUBJECT: READOUT OF APRIL 10 MEETING ON UK SECURITY COUNCIL
CLIMATE INITIATIVE

REF: STATE 46679


1. (SBU) Per reftel, USUN mission officers attended the
UKUN's April 10 informal briefing in advance of the April 17
UN Security Council debate on climate change, hosted by UKUN
Counselor for Sustainable Development Alistair Fernie.
University of Toronto Professor Thomas Homer-Dixon gave a
powerpoint presentation of 1990's research into the linkage
between environmental stresses and violent conflict. Fernie
provided an outline of how the April 17 UNSC debate will be
formatted, and gave assurances that there will be no
negotiated outcome nor follow-up process within the UNSC. He
summarized UK objectives as bringing new focus and attention
to climate change by bringing it before a new set of
stakeholders (UNSC members),"just as the Stern Report
introduced the topic to economic stakeholders for the first
time."


2. (SBU) Representatives of nearly all 15 UNSC members were
on hand for the lunchtime event. Questions largely sought
further details on UNSC debate format and attendance or
touched upon aspects of the professor's presentation. Fernie
noted that a similar briefing was conducted earlier that day
for non-UNSC members. An Australian colleague present at the
morning briefing said invited countries included: Canada, New
Zealand, Japan, Brazil, Germany, Denmark, Portugal, Pakistan,
Costa Rica, Guatemala, Tanzania, Barbados and Tuvalu. Per
the Australian, the UK selected those countries on the basis
of those states that had expressed active interest in the
UNSC discussion. Responding to charges the UK is clearly
hearing from many quarters, Fernie defended the UK's proposal
to hold the debate as being within the mandate of the Council.
WOLFF