Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08RIGA129
2008-03-13 07:12:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Riga
Cable title:
DEMRCHE RESPONSE: LATVIA SUPPORTS TOUGH EU
how-toVZCZCXRO3481 PP RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHRA #0129 0730712 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 130712Z MAR 08 FM AMEMBASSY RIGA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4784 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIGA 000129
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2018
TAGS: SENV ENRG EUN KGHG LG
SUBJECT: DEMRCHE RESPONSE: LATVIA SUPPORTS TOUGH EU
POSITION ON POST-KYOTO FRAMEWORK
REF: STATE 24257
Classified By: Ambassador Charles W. Larson for Reason 1.4(d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIGA 000129
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2018
TAGS: SENV ENRG EUN KGHG LG
SUBJECT: DEMRCHE RESPONSE: LATVIA SUPPORTS TOUGH EU
POSITION ON POST-KYOTO FRAMEWORK
REF: STATE 24257
Classified By: Ambassador Charles W. Larson for Reason 1.4(d).
1. (C) PolEconOff delivered reftel points March 11 to Evita
Stranga, Deputy Head of COREPER I Division of the EU
Coordination Department at the MFA. Stranga responded that
the GOL agrees that it is important to develop a post-Kyoto
framework that involves all major emitters. The GOL also
supports creating a funding mechanism to assist developing
economies to deploy clean technologies in their economies.
2. (C) However, Stranga supported the EU push for a minus-20
target for Annex I parties by 2020, compared to 1990 levels.
She noted that Latvia is currently 50 percent below 1990 GHG
emission levels due to the collapse of Soviet industry in the
country during the early 1990s. She added that Latvia would
have to find a way to lower its emissions to 56 percent below
1990 levels by 2020 to comply with the ambitious GHG cuts
envisioned by the EU. Stranga concluded by stating,
"developing countries are looking for leadership" on GHG, and
developed countries must provide an "example and commitment."
3. (C) Comment: The GOL position on greenhouse gas issues
varies considerably depending on which Latvian ministry Post
engages. The economics ministry consistently states that EU
targets for reduction of GHG are unrealistic and driven by
the pandering of top-level politicians in Western Europe; the
environmental ministry is pushing hard for the introduction
of biofuels and other green means of energy production; the
MFA is somewhere in between, but--at least on March
11--articulated support for ambitious cuts well below 1990
levels--a position more in line with Western European
sensibilities. It remains an open question which of these
perspectives will ultimately prevail in formulating Latvian
GHG policy. End Comment.
LARSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2018
TAGS: SENV ENRG EUN KGHG LG
SUBJECT: DEMRCHE RESPONSE: LATVIA SUPPORTS TOUGH EU
POSITION ON POST-KYOTO FRAMEWORK
REF: STATE 24257
Classified By: Ambassador Charles W. Larson for Reason 1.4(d).
1. (C) PolEconOff delivered reftel points March 11 to Evita
Stranga, Deputy Head of COREPER I Division of the EU
Coordination Department at the MFA. Stranga responded that
the GOL agrees that it is important to develop a post-Kyoto
framework that involves all major emitters. The GOL also
supports creating a funding mechanism to assist developing
economies to deploy clean technologies in their economies.
2. (C) However, Stranga supported the EU push for a minus-20
target for Annex I parties by 2020, compared to 1990 levels.
She noted that Latvia is currently 50 percent below 1990 GHG
emission levels due to the collapse of Soviet industry in the
country during the early 1990s. She added that Latvia would
have to find a way to lower its emissions to 56 percent below
1990 levels by 2020 to comply with the ambitious GHG cuts
envisioned by the EU. Stranga concluded by stating,
"developing countries are looking for leadership" on GHG, and
developed countries must provide an "example and commitment."
3. (C) Comment: The GOL position on greenhouse gas issues
varies considerably depending on which Latvian ministry Post
engages. The economics ministry consistently states that EU
targets for reduction of GHG are unrealistic and driven by
the pandering of top-level politicians in Western Europe; the
environmental ministry is pushing hard for the introduction
of biofuels and other green means of energy production; the
MFA is somewhere in between, but--at least on March
11--articulated support for ambitious cuts well below 1990
levels--a position more in line with Western European
sensibilities. It remains an open question which of these
perspectives will ultimately prevail in formulating Latvian
GHG policy. End Comment.
LARSON