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