NZ RESPONSE TO ACTION REQUEST CONCERNING THE

UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000003 SENSITIVE SIPDIS TO EEB/ESC FOR DANIELLE MONOSSON AND TO OES/EGC FOR GRIFF THOMPSON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV ENRG PGOV NZ SUBJECT: NZ RESPONSE TO ACTION REQUEST CONCERNING THE INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY (IRENA) REF: SECSTATE 134385 ¶1. (SBU) In response to reftel action request. Poloff contacted Richard Hawke, Manager of the Energy and Environment Office for the New Zealand Ministry of Economic Development. Hawke stated that the GNZ is aware of IRENA, that there have been internal GNZ discussions concerning the proposal, and that the GNZ has decided to not take a position on the initiative at this time. Hawke acknowledged that several governments, including the USG, oppose IRENA for the reasons of duplication and overlap with existing renewable energy programs. He explained that the GNZ has not yet seen a valid case to support the program, and that the GNZ is constrained by limited resources and previous commitments (for example, the Energy Development for Island Nations initiative sponsored by the GNZ, USG and the government of Iceland). Nevertheless, according to Hawke, NZ "is not saying no, and is not closing the door." KEEGAN