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

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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

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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