INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACTION ON UNGA 62 RESOLUTION ON

UNCLAS STATE 098068

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: UNSC UNGA SENV KGHG AORC XB XV
SUBJECT: INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACTION ON UNGA 62 RESOLUTION ON
CLIMATE CHANGE

REF: A. REF A: SNOWDEN-WEBBER PHONE CALL 9/12/08 AND
PREVIOUS

B. REF B: STATE 82276


1. This is an Action Request (see paragraphs 2-3) containing
instructions for USUN (reftel A) during action on the
proposed UN General Assembly (GA) Resolution requesting the
UN Security Council to address climate change on Monday,
September 15.


2. USUN is instructed to continue, as our preferred option,
efforts to defer action on this item to the Second Committee
of the 63rd General Assembly (reftel B). If action is taken
on this item on Monday, USUN is instructed to join consensus
on the resolution - although Department remains concerned
that this issue not impose an additional workload on the
Security Council extraneous to its core peace and security
responsibilities - and give the explanation of position in
paragraph 3.


3. Explanation of position:
The United States shares the concerns of the Pacific Island
States and other delegations on the seriousness of global
climate change and the importance of reducing greenhouse gas
emissions, enhancing energy security and promoting
sustainable development. We fully support UN efforts to
address climate change, in particular the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change, and are committed to reaching
conclusions under the UNFCCC on an economically sustainable
and environmentally effective global framework to address the
challenges of climate change.

However, we have some concerns about this particular
resolution that we would like to voice.

First, we take issue with the procedures surrounding this
resolution. The process was not transparent: the resolution
was introduced very late in the General Assembly and no
effort was made to achieve consensus on the resolution's
content through negotiations.

Second, we feel that this subject would be addressed most
appropriately in the Second Committee of the 63rd General
Assembly, within the context of the agenda item on climate
change. A call by the GA for member states to look at
additional implications of climate change is most effectively
made through the 2nd Committee resolution on climate change.

Further, we have strong reservations on the implications of
this resolution in view of on-going efforts to address
climate change and promote peace and security. The Security
Council already has a very full agenda of matters that are
very clearly immediate threats to international peace and
security. UN bodies and international venues, with the
appropriate mandates and expertise, are already actively and
seriously addressing issues related to climate change. We
believe that it is important to refrain from taking actions
within additional UN bodies which might detract from progress
on negotiations within the UN Framework Convention on Climate
Change, whose outcomes will supersede other decisions.
RICE