Greece to Associate Itself with Copenhagen Accord

UNCLAS ATHENS 000031 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV KGHG SUBJECT: Greece to Associate Itself with Copenhagen Accord ¶1. In a January 19 meeting with Ambassador Speckhard, Greek Minister of Environment, Energy, and Climate Change Tina Birbili said that Greece would associate itself with the Copenhagen Accord as part of the EU. She made no mention of Greece or the EU inscribing mitigation targets. Birbili agreed with the ambassador that associating with the accord would help to give it much-needed momentum. Birbili further added that Prime Minister Papandreou, who also is President of the Socialist International, placed great importance on combating climate change and is personally focused on these issues. ¶2. Birbili was emphatically disappointed with the results of Copenhagen, stating that "we got nothing." She expounded on the lack of a "legally binding agreement," and dismissed the accord as not even equivalent to a "political agreement." The ambassador countered that, despite the lack of a universal agreement because of five intransigent nations, real progress had been made in the identification of no more than a two degree increase in average global temperature, the commitment by major economies to mitigation targets with transparent implementation and accountability, as well as a pledge to initially raise $30 billion to assist lesser developed countries with abatement measures. ¶3. Birbili bemoaned the unmet high expectations of the EU at Copenhagen, admitting that the EU did not play the role it should have. She acknowledged that President Obama's presence in Copenhagen was critical to achieving the accord. Birbili said that Greece along with its EU partners would be working hard for a legally binding Mexico City agreement. Speckhard