SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR INFO ON GREEN INVESTMENTS IN

UNCLAS STATE 026022 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EFIN ENRG SENV KGHG SUBJECT: SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR INFO ON GREEN INVESTMENTS IN STIMULUS PACKAGES REF: 15 MARCH 2009 EMAIL FROM OES/EGC BARBARA DEROSA-JOYNT (NOTAL) ¶1. Summary. This is an Action Request. Please see paragraph five. Department requests information on green investments in the economic stimulus packages of major economies, in order to aid Washington,s efforts to develop a sense of comparative as well as aggregate efforts among the G-20. End Summary. ¶2. Just as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 contains billions of dollars for a clean-energy economic recovery, Department recognizes that a number of other G-20 countries are committing to substantial new investments in clean energy and environmental protection as part of their efforts to restore economic growth. ¶3. In the run-up to the April 2 London Summit and in light of ongoing negotiations for a new global approach to climate change, Departments of State and the Treasury are keenly interested in these environment- and clean-energy-related components of the fiscal stimulus packages of major economies. ¶4. We recognize that some addressee posts have already provided information on these investments, including in response to ref email. Department,s intention is to develop a more comprehensive and uniform set of information on these green investments. ¶5. Accordingly, Department would appreciate information that is as responsive as possible to the questions below for each G-20 member. While Posts may approach host government interlocutors to discuss these questions, Posts are also free to respond without approaching host government officials: -Has the country passed a fiscal stimulus package that designates spending on any of the following, and if so how much? And/or is spending on any of the following being planned that will use stimulus money designated more broadly? -------------- Renewable energy (solar, wind, hydro, biofuel, geothermal, etc() -------------- Energy efficiency (including conservation and demand-side management) -------------- Research and development in low-carbon technologies -------------- Improvements to the power grid -------------- Low-carbon transportation, including related incentives for industry and consumers -------------- Mass transportation, more generally -------------- Oil, gas or coal, including any price subsidies -------------- Nuclear energy -------------- Forestry -------------- Any incentives to reduce the use of fossil fuels (i.e. incentives for &green companies8) -------------- Anything relating to &green jobs8 or &green worker training8 -------------- Anything relating to &greenhouse gas emissions8 --Is the spending on the above &new,8 or does it appear to be previously planned for and then added to a fiscal stimulus package? --How soon will the money get spent? --Has the country coupled policy reforms intended to spur new private investment in energy technologies with the spending components? ¶6. Department appreciates Posts, efforts in response to this request and would appreciate replies by Thursday 26 March. Please slug all replies to OES/EGC Barbara DeRosa-Joynt and Ed Fendley. CLINTON