Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09THEHAGUE316
2009-05-27 15:41:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy The Hague
Cable title:
NETHERLANDS: CLIMATE ADAPTATION FUNDING
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHTC #0316 1471541 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 271541Z MAY 09 FM AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2861 INFO RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1789 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2806 RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN 6734 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1844 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 5040 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 5250 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1472 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 2442 RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 4738 RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1825 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0356 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS 0673
UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000316
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV KGHG NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS: CLIMATE ADAPTATION FUNDING
REF: STATE 50886
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY.
UNCLAS THE HAGUE 000316
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV KGHG NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS: CLIMATE ADAPTATION FUNDING
REF: STATE 50886
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY.
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Government of the Netherlands (GONL) is
providing 18 million Euros (USD 24.5 million) of
adaption-related development aid in 2009. The GONL wants to
contribute more, but plans are hampered by a challenging
budget environment. The Dutch are most amenable to
collaborating with other donors on climate adaptation, but
they feel sidelined as they do not participate directly in
the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate. END SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) EconOff met with Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)
climate change officials to discuss reftel points on climate
adaptation funding. Jan-Peter Mout, the MFA's point person
on climate-related development assistance, said the GONL is
contributing approximately 18 million Euros for adaptation in
2009. (Note: This figure excludes GONL direct, non-earmarked
funding to NGOs that have climate projects in developing
countries. End note.) The main recipients are:
-- UN Least Developed Countries Fund;
-- Red Cross to prepare for climate-related disasters;
-- Bilateral capacity-building projects in 13 developing
countries; and
-- World Bank study "Economics of Adaptation" (co-financed by
the UK and Switzerland) to develop a bottom-up estimate of
adaptation costs.
3. (SBU) Mout said the GONL's adaptation funding was smaller
than it should be, as the cabinet now in office had committed
to spending several times that amount by 2011. He said the
adaptation account is currently hostage to political
negotiations over the government's deteriorating finances.
The overall Dutch development assistance budget is pegged as
0.8 percent of GDP. With Dutch GDP contracting and a steeply
rising budget deficit, the aid budget is under considerable
pressure. Development Minister Bert Koenders has argued that
adaptation funding should be in addition to the traditional
0.8 percent level, as it should not displace existing
programs that support the Millennium Development Goals (the
core mission of Dutch assistance).
4. (SBU) The MFA officials welcomed the news of the
President's requested funding increase for international
adaptation. But they questioned how developing country
governments would react given their criticism of the World
Bank Clean Technology Fund for cutting them out of the
funding mechanism. The GONL supports these multilateral
funds and is seeking the right balance with bilateral
programs. The Dutch are most amenable to collaborating with
other donors on climate adaptation, but they feel sidelined
as they do not participate directly in the Major Economies
Forum on Energy and Climate.
GALLAGHER
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV KGHG NL
SUBJECT: NETHERLANDS: CLIMATE ADAPTATION FUNDING
REF: STATE 50886
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY.
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Government of the Netherlands (GONL) is
providing 18 million Euros (USD 24.5 million) of
adaption-related development aid in 2009. The GONL wants to
contribute more, but plans are hampered by a challenging
budget environment. The Dutch are most amenable to
collaborating with other donors on climate adaptation, but
they feel sidelined as they do not participate directly in
the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate. END SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) EconOff met with Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)
climate change officials to discuss reftel points on climate
adaptation funding. Jan-Peter Mout, the MFA's point person
on climate-related development assistance, said the GONL is
contributing approximately 18 million Euros for adaptation in
2009. (Note: This figure excludes GONL direct, non-earmarked
funding to NGOs that have climate projects in developing
countries. End note.) The main recipients are:
-- UN Least Developed Countries Fund;
-- Red Cross to prepare for climate-related disasters;
-- Bilateral capacity-building projects in 13 developing
countries; and
-- World Bank study "Economics of Adaptation" (co-financed by
the UK and Switzerland) to develop a bottom-up estimate of
adaptation costs.
3. (SBU) Mout said the GONL's adaptation funding was smaller
than it should be, as the cabinet now in office had committed
to spending several times that amount by 2011. He said the
adaptation account is currently hostage to political
negotiations over the government's deteriorating finances.
The overall Dutch development assistance budget is pegged as
0.8 percent of GDP. With Dutch GDP contracting and a steeply
rising budget deficit, the aid budget is under considerable
pressure. Development Minister Bert Koenders has argued that
adaptation funding should be in addition to the traditional
0.8 percent level, as it should not displace existing
programs that support the Millennium Development Goals (the
core mission of Dutch assistance).
4. (SBU) The MFA officials welcomed the news of the
President's requested funding increase for international
adaptation. But they questioned how developing country
governments would react given their criticism of the World
Bank Clean Technology Fund for cutting them out of the
funding mechanism. The GONL supports these multilateral
funds and is seeking the right balance with bilateral
programs. The Dutch are most amenable to collaborating with
other donors on climate adaptation, but they feel sidelined
as they do not participate directly in the Major Economies
Forum on Energy and Climate.
GALLAGHER