CLIMATE CHANGE: DENMARK TO ENDORSE COPENHAGEN

UNCLAS COPENHAGEN 000031 C O R R E C T E D C O P Y - CHANGED PARA 2 CLASSIFICATION SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR S/SECC:RKASTENBERG, OES/EGC:DNELSON AND KLARSEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KGHG SENV ENRG PREL DA SUBJECT: CLIMATE CHANGE: DENMARK TO ENDORSE COPENHAGEN ACCORD THROUGH EU REF: STATE 3079 (U) SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. NOT FOR INTERNET DISSEMINATION. ¶1. (SBU) Denmark's chosen means for associating itself with the Copenhagen Accord, which it "strongly supports," is to work within the EU for a common position, in order to preclude backsliding by certain EU members. Denmark is confident an EU common position will be reached before end January. Denmark intends to play an active role as this year's chair of the COP, but with a "less activist style," working more with others. So said MFA Head of Section in the Environment and Sustainable Development Department Ketil Iversen Karlsen when A/DCM delivered reftel demarche January 13 to him and to the Head of the Americas Dept. Morten Lauridsen. Karlsen was pleased to take note of a phone number for the UNFCCC secretariat: he said his government is being inundated with queries from other countries about how to contact the secretariat. ¶2. (SBU) Karlsen took the opportunity to mention the following points regarding climate-change efforts: - Rapid mobilization of financial assistance for adaptation in developing countries is crucial to bolster the credibility of the Copenhagen Accord and build momentum. - Denmark is encouraged by India's decision to host a meeting of the BASIC countries in Delhi this month. China will play a big role in the meeting, which Denmark believes will likely result in a reiteration of support for the Copenhagen Accord. - A major challenge is to figure out the best way to coordinate between the Copenhagen Accord and the UN process. - Denmark is undecided about how to handle criticisms of the Copenhagen Accord - whether to respond to them all or to ignore most of them. - Denmark has been invited to an alternative climate-change summit in Bolivia in April. It has not decided whether to participate. MCCULLEY