NETHERLANDS: AMBITIOUS GOALS FOR POZNAN CLIMATE

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000986 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV ENRG KGHG NL SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS: AMBITIOUS GOALS FOR POZNAN CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE REF: STATE 119282 ¶1. (U) The Dutch cabinet has announced out its priorities for the upcoming climate change conference in Poznan, Poland. The Netherlands will seek: -- A framework for the text of an accord at Copenhagen in December 2009. -- The start of "real negotiations" towards a post-Kyoto regime. -- Tangible next steps on specific issues such as a "shared vision" of the future, the international financial architecture of a climate deal, mitigation, the prevention of deforestation, adaptation, technology, and the parameters of industrial countries' emissions reduction obligations. ¶2. (U) The Dutch cabinet added that it places special importance on smart financing of an international climate policy and on the foundation of a global carbon market. The government's position is that countries' financial contributions to the climate regime should be based on a combination of their development level and emissions level. Furthermore, international support should go to situations where environmental results cannot be achieved without outside assistance. ¶3. (SBU) EconOff shared reftel points on climate change negotiations with key Dutch government officials, including Maas Goote at the Environment Ministry and Sanne Kaasjager at the Foreign Ministry, and other interested parties. Goote often represents the Netherlands at climate change negotiations and Kaasjager is the government's point person for coordinating its climate change positions. Kaasjager acknowledged that the Dutch expectations for a new climate agreement may be unrealistically high. ¶4. (SBU) COMMENT: Not surprisingly, the Dutch government has adopted an ambitious set of goals heading into Poznan. The Dutch are not where we want them to be on the issue of binding commitments for China and other emerging economies. On a positive note, we do agree on several aspects of the shared vision (mitigation, adaptation, technology, finance). In particular, the Dutch are committed to the prudent use of financial tools only for those countries that really need assistance. END COMMENT. CULBERTSON