U.S. SIGNS THE INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 073217 SIPDIS, SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG KGHG SENV SUBJECT: U.S. SIGNS THE INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY STATUTE REF: A. STATE 61286, B. STATE 59969, C. STATE 59971, D. 2008 STATE 134385 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On June 29, the United States signed the Statute of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA),the international agreement establishing the organization. Signatories now number 136 countries. The United Arab Emirates will host IRENA, and Germany and Austria will host self-funded satellite offices, an IRENA Innovation Center in Bonn and an IRENA Liaison Office in Vienna. French candidate Helen Pelosse is the Interim Director General of IRENA. Posts may draw on the talking points and background, provided below, as appropriate, to inform the host government of the U.S. position on IRENA. Embassies Abu Dhabi, Berlin, Paris, Tokyo, and Vienna, please see action request in paragraph two. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) OBJECTIVES FOR EMBASSIES ABU DHABI, BERLIN, PARIS, TOKYO, AND VIENNA The U.S. wants to maintain positive momentum and cooperation following the outcome of the June 28-30 Second Session of the Preparatory Commission in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. For Abu Dhabi, please pursue the following objectives: -- Congratulate the UAE on its successful bid to host IRENA. Note the US desire to work closely with the UAE and our appreciation for the UAE's like-minded view on the most useful direction for IRENA's work program ? capacity building in developing countries. -- Ask if the UAEG's coordination with Helen Pelosse has identified further opportunities or challenges for the next IRENA meeting in October. (We understand DG Pelosse visited the UAE recently.) For Paris, please pursue the following objectives: -- Obtain a meeting with Helen Pelosse, winner of the Interim DG of IRENA. OES/EGC and EEB/ESC will provide her contact information via email. -- Reiterate U.S. invitation for Pelosse to visit Washington for consultations with the Departments of State and Energy, as well as Congressional meetings. [Invitation has been conveyed by the U.S. delegation in Sharm El Shiekh and via email by Ambassador Reno Harnish, Acting Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Oceans, Environment and Science.] -- Confirm that Pelosse intends to relocate to Abu Dhabi to fulfill her commitment as DG of IRENA. -- Seek Pelosse's views on the progression of IRENA and the development of its Work Program. -- Stress that as with all international organizations, the U.S. will be looking to Pelosse's leadership to make the IRENA secretariat as lean, efficient, and effective as possible, with an emphasis on accountability and transparency. -- Note U.S. (and Japanese) desire for permanent seats on the IRENA Council, which is appropriate given our large portion of the budgetary burden (22% U.S. and 18% for Japan). Seek Pelosse's views on how this may be achieved without formally amending the IRENA Statute. For Tokyo, please pursue the following objectives: -- Thank Japan for its leadership and coordination with the U.S. on the issues of IRENA's budget, organization and work program. -- Note our desire to continue our close cooperation as we establish contact with DG Pelosse and as we prepare for the Third Session of the IRENA Preparatory Commission, to be held in January 2010 in Abu Dhabi. For Berlin, please pursue the following objectives: -- Note U.S. appreciation for German leadership in STATE 00073217 002 OF 003 bringing its vision of IRENA to fruition. -- Note that the U.S. decision to sign the IRENA Statute is an additional boost to the organization and we see this development as an important strengthening of the U.S.-German partnership on renewable energy. -- Underscore that we look forward to continuing our strong cooperation with Germany on renewable energy and across the full range of energy issues. -- Seek Germany's ideas for the role and function of the Innovation Center. Remind that Germany's funding of the Innovation Center is in addition to its assessed contribution to IRENA. For Vienna, please pursue the following objectives: -- Underscore that we look forward to continuing our strong cooperation with Austria on renewable energy and across the full range of energy issues. -- Seek Austria's ideas for the role and function of the Liaison Office. Remind that Austria's funding of the Liaison Office is in addition to its assessed contribution to IRENA. ¶3. (U) The talking points provided below may be drawn upon by all posts as they update host governments, as appropriate, on U.S. policy on IRENA. -- The Founding Conference that launched IRENA took place on January 26 of this year, very early in the new administration. -- Once we had an opportunity to consider the potential benefits of the new organization, and hold initial consultations with the Congress, the U.S. Administration reached the conclusion that the United States should sign the Statute. -- The Administration strongly supports renewable energy. By joining the more than 130 other countries participating in IRENA, the U.S. intends to advance our domestic and foreign policy objectives by fostering the global transition to a low-carbon economy. -- By leveraging our resources with those of other countries we can more effectively respond to the needs of policy makers in the developing world and support the policy, regulatory and technical requirements to enable broad deployment of renewable energy. -- The increased use of renewable energy around the world will help address global climate change. -- Globally, there remains a deficiency in capacity building efforts focused on renewable energy, a gap which IRENA intends to remedy. IRENA will provide enhanced dissemination of best practices and menus of policy and regulatory options to adopt renewable energy technologies. -- As a signatory country, the U.S. will seek to ensure that IRENA's work plan and programmatic portfolio are designed to complement and not compete with or conflict with ongoing efforts. -- Assuming authorizing legislation is enacted and appropriate funding is provided, the Executive Branch will be in a position to accept membership in IRENA if it is in the best interests of the United States. We will work closely with the U.S. Congress to keep Members informed of IRENA's progress, as well as to seek and maintain Congressional support for U.S. acceptance of membership in IRENA. If Asked, -- We congratulate the United Arab Emirates, which won the seat for Interim Headquarters of IRENA at the second session of the IRENA Preparatory Commission. -- We supported the UAE's bid for hosting the headquarters because: - The UAE submitted a strong bid to host IRENA. - With the bulk of global energy demand growth expected to come from Asia and the Middle East, a UAE headquarters location is a practical choice. - The selection of an OPEC country to host IRENA sends STATE 00073217 003 OF 003 an important and positive message about the global transition to a low-carbon economy. ¶4. (U) Please contact EEB/ESC Danielle Monosson and OES/EGC Griff Thompson with questions or for additional information. The Department appreciates posts' efforts. ¶5. (U) Minimize considered. CLINTON