MAJOR ECONOMIES MEETING II: BRAZIL DELEGATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRASILIA 000131 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR G-D.ROCHBERG, OES/EGC-E.FENDLEY AND D.NELSON DEPT PASS TO CEQ FOR R.DIXON AND M.MILLS 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 II: BRAZIL DELEGATION REF: A) STATE 5908, B) BRASILIA 97, C) 2007 BRASILIA 1952 ¶1. (U) THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED AND NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY. The Brazilian delegation to the second Major Economies Meeting (MEM2) in Honolulu has changed little in terms of personnel. What we do see, however, is a remarkable change in terms of their interest in seeing the Major Economies process work - within the UN framework -- and optimism about the ability for this process to make a contribution. END SUMMARY. DELEGATION MEMBERS AND LOGISTICAL MATTERS ¶3. (SBU) Ambassador Everton Vieira Vargas, the Under Secretary for Policy in the Ministry of Exterior Relations (MRE),will head up the Brazilian delegation to the second Major Economies Meeting (MEM2) in Hawaii, January 29-31. The rest of the delegation consists of: -- MRE, Ambassador Sergio Barbosa Serra, Special Representative for Climate Change -- MRE, First Secretary Andr Odenbreit Carvalho, Director, Division of Division for Environmental Policy and Sustainable Development -- Ministry of the Environment - Dr. Thelma Krug, Secretary for Climate Change and Environmental Quality -- Ministry of Science and Technology - Dr. Jose Domingos Gonzalez Miguez, Executive Secretary, Interministerial Commission on Global Climate Change -- MCT - Dr. Newton Paciornik, Technical Advisor, General Coordination to Global Climate Change (Note. Dr. Krug's husband, Mario Fumo Aoki, will be accompanying her on the trip. End Note.) ¶4. (SBU) The Embassy has delivered as received the invitation letter and the various materials provided by Washington, including those referred to in REFTEL A. ESTH Counselor informed the Brazilians about the two workshops to be held on January 29. They have designated: -- Paciornik to represent Brazil at the Workshop on Emissions, and -- Odenbreit to represent Brazil at the Workshop on Clean Technologies. ¶5. (SBU) The Brazilian delegation has made reservations at the Sheraton Waikiki. ¶6. (U) MRE has informed Post that they would not need interpretation into Portuguese. BRAZILIAN PERSPECTIVE ON MEM PROCESS AND ON HAWAII MEETING ¶7. (SBU) At a January 12 meeting, Vargas told the Ambassador that he would be heading the Brazilian delegation to MEM2. (REFTEL B) ESTH Counselor met with the other members of the GOB delegation. The mood of the delegation was upbeat and optimistic. This tone is a far cry from their disappointment coming out of the MEM in Washington in September and before the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Bali in December. (See REFTEL C) Serra and Krug in separate meetings each attributed this new tone to (1) the clarity that the MEM process is subordinate to and feeds into the UNFCCC process, and (2) the USG willingness joining consensus on the Bali Plan of Action. Serra was particularly taken by the fact that the MEM2 draft agenda included the subtitle "Developing a Detailed Contribution in Support of the Bali Roadmap for UN Negotiations". ¶8. (SBU) The delegation members bring differing perspectives to the climate change process. Miguez, who heads the interministerial efforts on clean technologies, showed support for the USG's emphasis on developing transformational technology. Miguez noted that he had a long history of worked with U.S. counterparts on technology and looked forward to strengthening this relationship in the future. On the other hand, Krug - acknowledging that technology will play an important role - stressed the need to look at other means to reduce C02 emissions. ¶9. (SBU) MRE and MCT members of the delegation were interested in the role of the expert workshops and how they will feed into the MEM process. Since they will be able to have a participant at each of the workshops, the initial bout of anxiety appears to have ended. ¶10. (SBU) Serra seemed concerned that the MEM meetings give other countries opportunities to reach out to the press. He said the GOB BRASILIA 00000131 002 OF 002 had been disappointed in the arrangements at the meeting in Washington. In Hawaii and at future meetings, they would like a representative from each country on the first day to make a brief presentation with the press there. Also, at any press conference, they want to have their representative there as a participant and not merely sitting in the audience as an observer. ¶11. (SBU) Serra urged that MEM2 and the MEM process not give short shrift to "adaptation" and give it something closer to the time and attention of "mitigation". ¶12. (SBU) Krug suggested that the MEM process stay focused within the four priorities identified by the UNFCC (mitigation, adaptation, technology, and financing). Surprisingly, neither Krug nor anyone else on the Brazilian delegation voiced any concern about the inclusion of forests on the agenda. Comment. Often Brazilian officials are sensitive about discussing forests and in this environment with only one other developing country with tropical forests (Indonesia) they might have been particularly reluctant to have this on the agenda. End Comment. ¶13. (SBU) Comment. Although the GOB delegation is by and large the same as went to Washington in September, the tone and expectations seem much improved. The Brazilians seem to be going to Honolulu with a view to try to make the MEM process make a real contribution to the UNFCCC process. End Comment. SOBEL