SWEDEN HOPES ENVIRONMENT MINISTER TO BE INCLUDED IN EU

UNCLAS STOCKHOLM 000220 OES FOR S/E STERN AND CLIMATE TEAM SITUATION ROOM PLEASE PASS TO CAROL BROWNER SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV KGHG PREL SW SUBJECT: SWEDEN HOPES ENVIRONMENT MINISTER TO BE INCLUDED IN EU DELEGATION TO MEF ¶1. This cable contains action requests at para 8. ¶2. Summary. Ambassador Staffan Tillander, a senior GOS climate official, expressed concern about the lack of certainty and speed in the UNFCCC process, predicting that heavier political involvement will be required. Sweden hopes for two processes in this respect; -- the re-launched MEF process, where Sweden hopes that its Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren will participate as a member of the EU delegation; and -- the U.S. and the EU will agree to use the High Level EU-US Dialogue on Climate Change, Clean Energy, and Sustainable Development as a forum for direct, intense consultation, leading up to the USEU Summit in June. End summary. ¶3. Charge and Econ Specialist met Ambassador Staffan Tillander, one of Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren's closest advisors, on March 31, to discuss the recent troika visit to Washington in mid-March and to take stock of developments in recent weeks. GOS worried about direction of UNFCCC talks -------------- ¶4. Tillander was in Bonn for the early stages of the UNFCCC meetings late last week. He told us that it was "not an encouraging experience," with the G-77 group raising numerous procedural issues. Tillander characterized the talk as "lacking both certainty and speed." To his mind, there is a clear need for heavier political involvement via the MEF. Swedish hopes for MEF involvement via the EU delegation -------------- ¶5. Sweden hopes to be able to participate in the MEF process as part of the EU delegation. Climate Ambassador Tillander told Charge that the GOS understands that Sweden can only be included as part of the EU delegation. Tillander asked for our assessment as to the most appropriate "Leader's representative," indicating that Sweden would like to send Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren. The Czechs recently told the GOS that it has not yet determined who will represent PM Topolanek at the MEF. Environment Commissioner Dimas will be in Stockholm the week of April 6, so Carlgren will discuss this in more detail next week. Restarting High Level EU-US Dialogue on Climate change -------------- ¶6. Tillander participated in the EU troika visit to Washington March 16-17, with the Czech and Swedish Environment Ministers and Commissioner Dimas. The group met Todd Stern, Carol Browner, and Lisa Jackson. In all meetings participants agreed that a U.S.-EU dialogue is needed in the run-up to COP-15, including on mid-term targets, how to approach India and China, financing, and comparability standards. The EU raised, per Tillander, re-invigorating the High Level EU-US Dialogue on climate change, clean energy, and sustainable development as the format for EU-US direct discussions leading up to the June USEU Summit in Washington. ¶7. Tillander told us that he believes that if the U.S. can use flexible mechanisms to make commitments to go below 1990 levels in its mid-term targets, then that would send a very powerful signal. He fears that returning to the 1990-level as the mid-term target will dampen overall prospects for success. Using flexible mechanisms to pay for, and be able to account for, reductions abroad is a method used liberally in Europe, not least by Sweden. ¶8. Action requests: -- MEF: Washington guidance on level of representation of the EU delegation at the MEF process meeting would be appreciated. -- High Level Dialogue: Post would appreciate information about U.S. thinking on the prospects of using the High Level Dialogue as a vehicle for climate change talks. SILVERMAN