Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08STATE99217
2008-09-17 03:21:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Secretary of State
Cable title:  

ACTION REQUEST: SOLICITING MEMBER STATE VIEWS

Tags:  KGHG EAGR SENV ENRG TRGY EUN SIPDIS 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4348
OO RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHC #9217/01 2610329
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 170321Z SEP 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
INFO RHMCSUU/HQ EPA WASHINGTON DC
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 099217 

SIPDIS, SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KGHG EAGR SENV ENRG TRGY EUN SIPDIS
SUBJECT: ACTION REQUEST: SOLICITING MEMBER STATE VIEWS
ON EU BIOFUELS SUSTAINABILITY

REF: USEU 1171

THIS CABLE REPLACES STATE 98110 WHICH WAS SENT
INCOMPLETE AND IN ERROR.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 099217

SIPDIS, SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KGHG EAGR SENV ENRG TRGY EUN SIPDIS
SUBJECT: ACTION REQUEST: SOLICITING MEMBER STATE VIEWS
ON EU BIOFUELS SUSTAINABILITY

REF: USEU 1171

THIS CABLE REPLACES STATE 98110 WHICH WAS SENT
INCOMPLETE AND IN ERROR.


1. (U) This is an action request for all EU member
posts. Please see paragraph 2 below. Embassy Paris,
please see additional actions in paragraph 3. USEU
Brussels, as you discuss this topic with member state
representatives and others, please use points in
paragraphs 2 and 3 as appropriate.

--------------
OBJECTIVES
--------------


2. (SBU) Department requests Posts in EU capitals pursue
the following action plan:

-- Report on the host government position with respect
to the current EU consideration of sustainability and
greenhouse gas emissions reduction criteria for
biofuels, to be incorporated in implementing regulations
for the EU's "20-20-20 by 2020" Climate and Energy
package. The French, currently holding the rotating EU
Presidency, seek to achieve final approval of the
Climate and Energy Package by the EU Council of
Ministers and the European Parliament by the end of

2008.

-- Washington agencies are interested in the position of
the host government regarding European biofuel mandates
in general and specifically on the nature and
expectations of sustainability criteria for biofuels, as
well as the discrete positions of the agricultural,
energy, and environmental ministries or authorities, and
any intragovernmental differences in position.

-- As appropriate, share with interlocutors the summary
of U.S. and EU efforts to develop respective national
sustainability criteria for biofuels in paragraph 5, and
stress both the U.S. commitment to sustainable biofuels,
and the efforts of the U.S., EU and others within the
Global Bioenergy Partnership to develop common
sustainability criteria.

-- Washington is not seeking a formal intervention, but
rather, engagement and discussion on this topic at the
level Post deems appropriate.


3. (SBU) Additional action for Paris only: Discuss with
appropriate French interlocutors, as representatives of
the EU presidency:

-- We hope that France will support continued U.S.-EU
cooperation on development of science-based biofuels
sustainability criteria.


-- Existing cooperation between EC and U.S. scientific
experts and regulators on this topic is mutually
beneficial and should be strengthened.

-- We are pleased France and other members of the EU
have already committed under the Global Bioenergy
Partnership (GBEP) to advance voluntary global biofuels
sustainability criteria, indicators, and benchmarks by
next spring. This multilateral effort provides another
means to promote sustainability of biofuels.

--------------
REPORTING DEADLINE AND POINTS OF CONTACT
--------------


4. (SBU) Posts should report results of effort by cable
or e-mail to EUR/ERA Matthew Beh (202 647 1820,
behmk@state.gov) and OES/EGC Drew Nelson (202 736 7444,
nelsonds@state.gov) before September 23, 2008.


--------------
BACKGROUND AND GUIDANCE POINTS
--------------


5. (U) Please draw from the following as appropriate.


STATE 00099217 002 OF 003


BEGIN NON-PAPER TEXT

Background on Parallel U.S. and EU Efforts on Biofuels
Sustainability:

-- Experts at the United States Environmental Protection
Agency, Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture,
Department of State and other agencies are currently
discussing criteria for assessing biofuels
sustainability with their European Commission
counterparts. The U.S. is also working with
international partners through the Global Bioenergy
Partnership to develop voluntary international
sustainability criteria.

-- The EU is considering mandatory sustainability and
greenhouse gas emissions reduction criteria for biofuels
to be incorporated in implementing regulations for the
"20-20-20 by 2020" Climate and Energy package. Such
regulations are expected as part of a legislative
package France, the current EU presidency country, would
like to have finalized by both the Council of Ministers
and the European Parliament by the end of 2008.

-- The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
(EISA) mandates a similar process in the United States.
It would be preferable to have compatible, science-based
criteria for measuring biofuels sustainability on both
sides of the Atlantic.

-- EISA calls for about a 15% biofuel share by 2022 with
biofuels performance requirements for reductions in
lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions. The mandatory
lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions reduction standards
established in EISA range from 20 to 50 and 60%
reductions off the baseline gasoline and diesel fuels
they replace. Conventional biofuels produced from
facilities constructed after enactment of EISA are
required to meet a minimum 20% reduction; biomass-based
diesel and advanced biofuels a 50% reduction; and
cellulosic biofuels a 60% reduction. EPA and other USG
experts are using advanced modeling and other scientific
methods to develop our own biofuels mandatory standards,
as part of the Renewable Fuel Standard mandated by EISA.
(EPA's publication of a draft rule is expected fall
2008.)

-- (A note on terminology: "Standards," in this context,
is the U.S. term for mandatory requirements. However,
under EU law (as well as the WTO),a "standard" can be
voluntary or mandatory. "Criteria" can be either
mandatory, in EU context, or voluntary in U.S. context.
The EISA requirements discussed in this cable are
mandatory).

-- At the February 2008 EU-U.S. biofuels dialogue in
Washington, senior officials and experts from both sides
agreed that second-generation biofuels from non-food
feedstocks represent a major opportunity to reduce both
greenhouse gas emissions and oil dependency. Building
on that foundation, EC regulators in a May 2008
bilateral videoconference expressed great interest in
work conducted by the EPA, pursuant to EISA, on
methodologies for assessing the life-cycle greenhouse
gas emissions of biofuels. Building on that discussion,
U.S. experts are currently preparing to present to their
EC counterparts draft sustainability criteria being
developed by a U.S. interagency Sustainability Working
Group. The USG hopes the EC will present on the latest
developments in the EC's work on sustainability
criteria. Additional exchanges are also contemplated.

-- The United States hopes to ensure that biofuels
sustainability criteria developed by the EU are grounded
in science and compatible with U.S. criteria and
standards. This effort is distinct from, but
complementary to and consistent with, U.S. and EU
efforts in the Global Bio-Energy Partnership to develop
voluntary, multilateral criteria and measurement
methodologies for sustainability.

Request for Information:

-- Biofuels offer a powerful tool for achieving the EU's
ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and
are a critical element of U.S. national strategy for
mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and addressing
energy security.

-- The United States is interested to learn the

STATE 00099217 003 OF 003


perspective of European Union member state governments
on biofuels sustainability, particularly development of
mandatory criteria for assessing biofuels
sustainability. The United States is also interested to
learn member state government views on the latest
developments in the consideration of the Renewable Fuels
Directive by the Council of the European Union and the
European Parliament, including any views on timing and
specific proposals.

END NON-PAPER TEXT
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