Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09COPENHAGEN486
2009-10-30 15:44:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Copenhagen
Cable title:  

DANISH PM CALLS FOR POLITICAL AGREEMENT AT COP-15,

Tags:  KGHG PGOV PREL DA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4880
RR RUEHIK
DE RUEHCP #0486/01 3031544
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 301544Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5281
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 1534
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0927
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 5592
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 0028
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1586
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COPENHAGEN 000486 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR S/SECC, OES, EUR/NB

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KGHG PGOV PREL DA
SUBJECT: DANISH PM CALLS FOR POLITICAL AGREEMENT AT COP-15,
LAUNCHES "COPENHAGEN COMMITMENT CIRCLE"

REF: A) Dollinger-Beh email 10/29

COPENHAGEN 00000486 001.2 OF 002


(U) SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED--NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COPENHAGEN 000486

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR S/SECC, OES, EUR/NB

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KGHG PGOV PREL DA
SUBJECT: DANISH PM CALLS FOR POLITICAL AGREEMENT AT COP-15,
LAUNCHES "COPENHAGEN COMMITMENT CIRCLE"

REF: A) Dollinger-Beh email 10/29

COPENHAGEN 00000486 001.2 OF 002


(U) SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED--NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION.


1. (SBU) Summary: Danish PM Lars Loekke Rasmussen delivered a
speech on climate change to legislators from the G-8 and major
developing countries gathered in Copenhagen on October 24 for an
inter-parliamentary event. Rasmussen laid out a vision of a
'politically binding' agreement at COP-15 which could take immediate
effect, followed by a more detailed legally binding UNFCCC agreement
in future. He also announced the launch of a "Copenhagen Commitment
Circle (CCC)," comprising a select group of leaders to coordinate
their efforts in favor of the twin-goal approach. We have not been
approached at the Embassy to seek high level U.S. involvement in the
CCC. The first DVC among leaders participating in the CCC took
place on October 29, between Prime Minister Rasmussen, President
Calderon of Mexico, Prime Minister Rudd of Australia, and UNSYG Ban
Ki Moon. PM Rasmussen will visit Moscow on November 2 for
discussions with PM Putin including climate change. End Summary.


2. (U) The PM's October 24 speech was before the Global GLOBE is
the Global Legislators Organization for a Balanced Environment
(GLOBE),founded in 1989. GLOBE consists of senior cross-party
members of parliament from all G8 countries and Brazil, China,
India, Mexico and South Africa. The U.S. GLOBE delegation to this
meeting was led by Rep. Edward Markey, who issued a report of
GLOBE's international commission on climate and energy security,
which he chairs, outlining shared legislative priorities on climate
and energy security (available at
http://copenhagen.globeinternational.
org/globe_legislators_forum/speakers.aspx). For the full text of
the PM's speech before the GLOBE group, see:
http://www.stm.dk/_p_12969.html.


3. (U) Selected Text of PM's Speech:

On this basis, I suggest that we lock in the determination to act
already by Copenhagen and seek political commitments for immediate
implementation. I believe that all the key components of the deal
can be achieved in Copenhagen.

In order to achieve this, the Copenhagen Agreement should be
ambitious; it should be binding and it should be concrete.


It should build on the principles established by the existing legal
framework, most notably the principle of a common but differentiated
responsibility.

It should capture and encourage the contributions individual
countries are willing to undertake within all areas of the Bali Road
Map, including specific and binding commitments on mitigation and
finance. In the context of immediate action, significant up front
finance for both early mitigation and adaptation efforts of the
poorest and most vulnerable countries will be of particular
importance.

In order to ensure transparency and that the individual countries
are standing behind their commitments and deliver on their promises,
we shall also need a system of measurement, reporting and
verification.

This is the agreement we must reach. It will both provide guidance
for our lawyers to finalize the details of the internationally legal
binding agreement and for world leaders to commit to specific
immediate action, starting January 2010.
In this way, Copenhagen could provide for immediate action based on
a comprehensive set of binding, political commitments from world
leaders.

The Copenhagen Agreement would thus serve two purposes:
1) to direct further negotiations towards concluding outstanding
details in a new legal climate regime;
2) to capture and encourage political commitment in order to provide
for immediate action to combat global warming.

Political commitment to immediate action will also serve to focus
and strengthen the negotiations on the legal agreement. It is
important that these two purposes will merge in one decision at
COP15.

Process

COPENHAGEN 00000486 002.2 OF 002



In the coming weeks, I will systematically seek to engage a growing
number of leaders. Let us call it "The Copenhagen Commitment
Circle." Our joint goal should be to keep the momentum high in order
to reach agreement on a binding, global agreement in Copenhagen and
make sure we can start implementing it immediately.

I call on every one of you present here today as well as every
leader around the world to engage to make this vision reality. With
the expected progress in the coming weeks, we shall pave the way for
leaders to meet in Copenhagen in order to seal the deal.


4. (SBU) In a subsequent non-paper shared with USEU (REF A),the
Danes explained the CCC initiative further:

An ambitious politically binding agreement
The UNSG High Level Event in New York, 22 September has strengthened
the engagement of Heads of State and Government. Leaders have
clearly indicated their commitment to conclude a new global climate
agreement in Copenhagen in December. There seems to be an
unprecedented political momentum. We should seize this opportunity
and make a common effort to achieve an ambitious agreement with
immediate impact.

This agreement should serve two purposes embodied in a decision of
the conference: First of all to provide guidance and timeframe for
the UNFCCC negotiations on the new legal climate agreement -
negotiations that will stretch beyond COP 15 itself. Secondly, to
constitute a political binding agreement that would enter into force
immediately and hence provide for immediate action to combat global
warming.

The political binding agreement should aim to secure that global
warming does not exceed two degrees C and must cover all the Bali
building blocks, including emission commitments and actions,
finance, technology, and adaptation and enhance them as far as
possible.

The Copenhagen Commitment Circle

To reach our objective there is a need for support and involvement
at the highest political level. The Danish Prime Minister has
therefore launched "The Copenhagen Commitment Circle."

This initiative will initially bring together a small core group of
dedicated Heads of State and Government and the UN Secretary-General
that are committed to the twin approach (guidance for continued
negotiations within UNFCCC and agreement on immediate
implementation). They will meet on a weekly basis by videoconference
to continuously assess progress in negotiations leading to COP15 and
to exchange views on how to further advance these with a view to
building momentum at the highest political level. Meetings will be
chaired by the Danish Prime Minister. The first meeting was held on
28 October 2009 with the participation of the UN Secretary-General,
the Prime Minister of Australia and the President of Mexico.

The objective of the Copenhagen Commitment Circle will be to capture
the engagement of a growing number of leaders for the twin approach
and to build common understanding on the way ahead based also on the
specific commitments that countries are willing to undertake as part
of an ambitious agreement in Copenhagen. Therefore, the circle will
gradually widen and should eventually pave the way for leaders to
meet in Copenhagen to seal the deal.


5. (SBU) The Office of the Prime Minister confirmed on 10/30 that
the first digital video conference between participants in the CCC
had taken place on 10/29, and included PM Rasmussen, President
Calderon of Mexico, PM Rudd of Australia, PM Stoltenberg of Norway,
and UNSYG Ban Ki Moon. The DVC format would be repeated weekly, and
expanded to include new participants as they join. The intention is
to coordinate and share views on how to advance the "twin goal
approach" outlined by PM Rasmussen in his speech.


6. (SBU) The PM's Office has confirmed that PM Rasmussen will visit
Moscow on November 2 to meet with PM Putin for discussions including
COP-15. Rasmussen's staff would not confirm whether PM Rasmussen
will invite Putin to join the CCC.

FULTON