JORDAN ALIGNED WITH IPCC AND G77 BUT OBSERVES

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 002144 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA AND OES E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2019 TAGS: ECON ENRG PGOV PREL SENV KGCC JO SUBJECT: JORDAN ALIGNED WITH IPCC AND G77 BUT OBSERVES FAULT LINES DEVELOPING REF: STATE 70837 Classified By: DCM Lawrence Mandel for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) Jordan is largely aligned with the recommendations of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the G77 negotiating block as it prepares for the COP15 in Copenhagen. While Jordan will not be represented at the September 22 UN Climate Summit, Minister of Environment Khaled Irani and a team of four to five delegates will join COP15 in Copenhagen. A planned October 2009 Arab League meeting of Environment Ministers might yield a common stance, but so far there has been no joint Arab League position other than a 2008 declaration on climate change. ¶2. (C) Irani and Hussein Badarin (a Ministry of Environment member of the Clean Development Mechanism Executive Board) noted that some fault lines had developed within the G77 and the Gulf states: - Disagreements about the long-held Chinese view that emissions goals should be based on a per capita basis. Irani noted this would make the Saudis the fifth largest emitters in the world when in reality the Arab world as a whole contributes less than five percent of global greenhouse gases. - Disagreement about whether Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) should be eligible for Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) funding. Most Arab states (particularly the Gulf countries) are pushing hard for this, but facing very strong resistance from Brazil. - Discussions about improved distribution of CDM projects which are currently heavily weighted towards China, India, and Brazil. - Within the Gulf states there is a fault line regarding renewable energy. Saudi Arabia - the 800 pound gorilla in the Gulf Cooperation Council - continues to "strongly resist" any discussions regarding renewable energy, betting on CCS and a fossil-fuel future. The UAE on the other hand is pushing hard for renewable energy to be included in climate change-related outcomes. - Smaller developing countries are arguing that they should not be grouped into the same category as the advanced developing countries in any international agreement with regard to emission reduction actions and support for adaptation measures. ¶3. (U) Irani noted that Jordan is not a contributor to climate change, but certainly feels the full impact as manifested in decreased rainfall, increased aridity, potential damage to coral reefs and biodiversity, and the resulting impacts on tourism, agricultural productivity, and economic development. Jordan will publish a policy paper on climate change focused on adaptation measures in the coming weeks. Jordan is also hosting a National Climate Change conference on November 8 with Sweden (in its capacity as the chair of the EU). Irani applauded the "new U.S. stance on climate change" as very positive and supported the Major Economies Forum process. Visit Amman's Classified Website at: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman Beecroft