BALI RESULTS: SPLIT REACTIONS IN AUSTRIA

UNCLAS VIENNA 002976 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV KGHG ENRG PREL PGOV AU SUBJECT: BALI RESULTS: SPLIT REACTIONS IN AUSTRIA REF: VIENNA 2914 ¶1. Austrian reactions to the results of the UNFCCC Bali conference were not uniform, even not within the Austrian government. Overall, government representatives and NGOs were relieved that the "roadmap" is on track, but criticized the lack of progress on numerical reduction goals. Thus, universal praise met the Kyoto signatories' plans for a "working group," because it aims at reaching a binding goal to reduce emissions between 25 and 40 percent until 2020 for industrial countries. Most comments indirectly but (except from NGOs) not explicitly blamed the U.S. for the failure to set a binding goal at Bali. ¶2. The most critical government voice was that of Austria's delegation leader in Bali, Agriculture and Environment Minister Josef Proell. He described the climate as "a comatose patient in an intensive care unit." It would be difficult to sell the Bali results as success, he said. In the coming years, "we need hard work and a fundamental change of views in some countries," he concluded. ¶3. Austria's Chancellor Gusenbauer, however, issued a press release describing the Bali results as "surprisingly positive." The chances of reaching an agreement in Copenhagen in 2009 were "not bad." Gusenbauer's special representative for climate change, Andreas Wabl, praised the agreements at Bali on the creation of the adaptation fund and technology transfers to developing countries. He added, however, "the overwhelming majority of countries have understood that we do not have time for experiments with voluntary reduction commitments." The post-Kyoto working group would fight for "the insertion of clear and scientifically proved figures in the agreement," Wabl said. ¶4. NGO reactions were broadly positive about the outcome at Bali, but were quick to blame the U.S. for its shortcomings. Absent a clear government line, many Austrian media focused their stories around NGO commentary. Bernhard Obermayer from Greenpeace, an official member of the Austrian delegation, said he was happy about the Kyoto working group's plans. The two track proceedings could still lead to a satisfying solution in 2009. On the UNFCCC proper, he praised the EU, many developing countries and a "cooperative China" for reaching this "reasonable" result. Russia, Canada, "and particularly the U.S." would have done everything to avoid progress, Obermayer opined. "Global 2000," the Austrian section of "Friends of the Earth," praised the setting of a November 15 2009 deadline for the Post-Kyoto agreement, but denounced "the Bush administration" as the main player that intended to "torpedo" the negotiations. KILNER#