Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STOCKHOLM512
2009-08-14 13:19:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Stockholm
Cable title:
CLIMATE -- SWEDISH PM'S CLIMATE ADVISOR EXPRESSES NEED FOR
how-toVZCZCXRO2686 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHSM #0512 2261319 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 141319Z AUG 09 FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4626 RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC PRIORITY INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS STOCKHOLM 000512
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE ENTIRE TEXT, PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV KGHG PREL SW
SUBJECT: CLIMATE -- SWEDISH PM'S CLIMATE ADVISOR EXPRESSES NEED FOR
NEW INITIATIVES IN THE CLIMATE DIALOGUE
UNCLAS STOCKHOLM 000512
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE ENTIRE TEXT, PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV KGHG PREL SW
SUBJECT: CLIMATE -- SWEDISH PM'S CLIMATE ADVISOR EXPRESSES NEED FOR
NEW INITIATIVES IN THE CLIMATE DIALOGUE
1. (SBU) Summary: The comparability discussion continues to be
important to the Europeans, and Reinfeldt's top climate advisor
thinks that the mid-term target year needs to be moved beyond 2020.
The Swedes sees potential in the MEF and are curious about the
prospect of a limited MEF leaders' meeting prior to COP-15. End
summary.
2. (SBU) Embassy Stockholm ECON FSN talked with Lars-Erik Liljelund
on August 13, in advance of Charge's meeting with Environment
Minister Carlgren August 19. Liljelund is Prime Minister Reinfeldt's
closest climate advisor, and has participated in all MEF meetings
this year.
3. (U) Liljelund said he heard from Bonn that it wasn't going so
well, and that G-77 countries were rather un-constructive.
4. (SBU) Regarding the state of the overall negotiations, Liljelund
said it is not possible to get much more out of the system
presently, due to developments with Japan, Canada, the recent
set-back in Australia, etc. He cited a large gap in positions among
developing countries, which he said suits the G-77 countries very
well. He noted Stern/Pershing's proposal of an Alliance among Annex
I countries, admitting that such a proposal could be hard for Sweden
to deal with in its Presidency capacity.
5. (SBU) Liljelund said that from the G20 Sherpa meeting at the end
of July, he had understood that several G-77 countries are skeptical
about the side-processes to the UNFCCC track, including the MEF --
that it risks weakening their negotiation position. In the G-77
group, dissatisfaction had been expressed about the G8 declaration
agreeing to the 2 degree target.
6. (SBU) Liljelund said the informal EU Energy and Environment
Council meetings in Are in July gave Environment Minister Carlgren
the mandate to discuss conditionality, i.e. what would be needed in
order for the EU to scale up its emissions reduction target from 20
to 30 percent. By a rigid interpretation, he said, there is no
ground for the EU to scale up to 30 percent, but some EU Member
States fear that the EU will scale up to 30. Taking the
science-based approach, a scaling up is necessary, Liljelund opined.
He said we need to discuss another year for the mid-term target --
it cannot remain 2020. The base-year discussion is less of a
problem according to Liljelund, as the G8 declaration states "1990
or the years thereafter".
7. (SBU) Liljelund further said that the comparable efforts
discussion will be very important over the next few months. The way
things are shaping up now, what is possible to get at COP-15 will
not be the final agreement. Instead, we need to identify what needs
to be solved by Copenhagen, which political issues must be solved.
He said he sees great potential in the MEF process, in that it is
largely the same people who are also involved in the Convention
negotiations.
8. (SBU) Liljelund also discussed the extra informal European
Council dinner the Swedes will convene, likely on September 17 (same
dates as MEF4),which has not yet been formally announced. The
dinner will mainly be about G20 preparations, including climate
financing discussions. He said that the U.S. plans to discuss
financing at the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh has thrown the EU's
discussions of financing out of sync because the EU had planned to
deal with financing in the Environment Ministers Council, then
ECOFIN, and then the regular European Council meetings the last days
of October. Therefore, the need for the extra informal dinner to
discuss financing.
9. (SBU) Liljelund said that the best chance for progress ahead, in
his mind, is the limited MEF Leaders' meeting which Obama talked
about at L'Aquila. If such a meeting takes place, it would most
likely be in November. Liljelund feels that an opportunity to solve
some political issues at such a meeting has great potential.
SILVERMAN
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE ENTIRE TEXT, PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV KGHG PREL SW
SUBJECT: CLIMATE -- SWEDISH PM'S CLIMATE ADVISOR EXPRESSES NEED FOR
NEW INITIATIVES IN THE CLIMATE DIALOGUE
1. (SBU) Summary: The comparability discussion continues to be
important to the Europeans, and Reinfeldt's top climate advisor
thinks that the mid-term target year needs to be moved beyond 2020.
The Swedes sees potential in the MEF and are curious about the
prospect of a limited MEF leaders' meeting prior to COP-15. End
summary.
2. (SBU) Embassy Stockholm ECON FSN talked with Lars-Erik Liljelund
on August 13, in advance of Charge's meeting with Environment
Minister Carlgren August 19. Liljelund is Prime Minister Reinfeldt's
closest climate advisor, and has participated in all MEF meetings
this year.
3. (U) Liljelund said he heard from Bonn that it wasn't going so
well, and that G-77 countries were rather un-constructive.
4. (SBU) Regarding the state of the overall negotiations, Liljelund
said it is not possible to get much more out of the system
presently, due to developments with Japan, Canada, the recent
set-back in Australia, etc. He cited a large gap in positions among
developing countries, which he said suits the G-77 countries very
well. He noted Stern/Pershing's proposal of an Alliance among Annex
I countries, admitting that such a proposal could be hard for Sweden
to deal with in its Presidency capacity.
5. (SBU) Liljelund said that from the G20 Sherpa meeting at the end
of July, he had understood that several G-77 countries are skeptical
about the side-processes to the UNFCCC track, including the MEF --
that it risks weakening their negotiation position. In the G-77
group, dissatisfaction had been expressed about the G8 declaration
agreeing to the 2 degree target.
6. (SBU) Liljelund said the informal EU Energy and Environment
Council meetings in Are in July gave Environment Minister Carlgren
the mandate to discuss conditionality, i.e. what would be needed in
order for the EU to scale up its emissions reduction target from 20
to 30 percent. By a rigid interpretation, he said, there is no
ground for the EU to scale up to 30 percent, but some EU Member
States fear that the EU will scale up to 30. Taking the
science-based approach, a scaling up is necessary, Liljelund opined.
He said we need to discuss another year for the mid-term target --
it cannot remain 2020. The base-year discussion is less of a
problem according to Liljelund, as the G8 declaration states "1990
or the years thereafter".
7. (SBU) Liljelund further said that the comparable efforts
discussion will be very important over the next few months. The way
things are shaping up now, what is possible to get at COP-15 will
not be the final agreement. Instead, we need to identify what needs
to be solved by Copenhagen, which political issues must be solved.
He said he sees great potential in the MEF process, in that it is
largely the same people who are also involved in the Convention
negotiations.
8. (SBU) Liljelund also discussed the extra informal European
Council dinner the Swedes will convene, likely on September 17 (same
dates as MEF4),which has not yet been formally announced. The
dinner will mainly be about G20 preparations, including climate
financing discussions. He said that the U.S. plans to discuss
financing at the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh has thrown the EU's
discussions of financing out of sync because the EU had planned to
deal with financing in the Environment Ministers Council, then
ECOFIN, and then the regular European Council meetings the last days
of October. Therefore, the need for the extra informal dinner to
discuss financing.
9. (SBU) Liljelund said that the best chance for progress ahead, in
his mind, is the limited MEF Leaders' meeting which Obama talked
about at L'Aquila. If such a meeting takes place, it would most
likely be in November. Liljelund feels that an opportunity to solve
some political issues at such a meeting has great potential.
SILVERMAN