Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10KATHMANDU45
2010-01-20 11:47:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:  

NEPAL NON-COMMITAL ON COPEHAGEN ACCORD

Tags:  KGKG SENV ENRG XD NP 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0002
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKT #0045/01 0201147
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 201147Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 1282
UNCLAS KATHMANDU 000045 

DEPT FOR OES/EGC NELSON AND LARSEN, OES/S/SECC
KASTENBERG
DEPT FOR OES/PCI, OES/ENRC, SCA/INSB, SCA/P, SCA/RA

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KGKG SENV ENRG XD NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL NON-COMMITAL ON COPEHAGEN ACCORD

REF: STATE 3079

UNCLAS KATHMANDU 000045

DEPT FOR OES/EGC NELSON AND LARSEN, OES/S/SECC
KASTENBERG
DEPT FOR OES/PCI, OES/ENRC, SCA/INSB, SCA/P, SCA/RA

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KGKG SENV ENRG XD NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL NON-COMMITAL ON COPEHAGEN ACCORD

REF: STATE 3079


1. (SBU) Summary: Nepal is still considering
whether to associate itself with the Copenhagen
Accord. As one of the countries most affected by
climate change, Government of Nepal (GON) officials
were annoyed they were not "adequately consulted" in
the negotiations. End Summary.

Frustration at Exclusion from Negotiations
--------------

2. (SBU) In a January 14 meeting with Minister of
Environment Thakur Sharma, Charge John Ordway urged
Nepal to associate itself with the Copenhagen Accord
(reftel). Charge underscored the importance of
signing on to the Accord since it was the only game
in town; without it there was no basis to move
forward. As an LDC and one of the countries most
affected by climate change, Nepal would have
priority access to adaptation funds promised in the
accord.


3. (SBU) Minister Sharma was non-committal and
mentioned that Nepal is yet to discuss the
Copenhagen Accord in the Cabinet. He added that
Nepal's response will be in accordance with Prime
Minister Madhav Nepal's statement in Copenhagen.
Minister Sharma underlined that Nepal was unhappy
with the way the Copenhagen Accord was introduced in
the COP-15, highlighting Nepal's displeasure of not
being included in the group of 28 head of states and
ministers involved in the negotiation (while
Maldives was).

GON's Climate Change Position
--------------

4. (SBU) Minister Sharma summarized Nepal's climate
change position: (1) hold the increase in global
below 1.5 degrees centigrade compared to pre-
industrial levels; (2) maintain carbon dioxide
concentration at 350 ppm; (3) ensure that LDCs have
unhindered access to adequate funds required to
adapt to climate change; and (4) receive a
commitment from developed nations to a legally
binding agreement in line with the Kyoto Protocol
and LCA. Sharma said he looked forward to COP-16 in
Mexico and hoped that developing nations would give
greater importance to scientific findings on climate
change, rather than political gains.


5. (SBU) Responding to Sharma's arguments, Charge
reiterated that no deal is really ever perfect. The
Copenhagen Accord is the best possible deal for the
moment. Nepal should sign on to it and work with
U.S. and others to progress ahead. International
negotiations have to take into account the practical
social, economic and political realities, not only
scientific facts.

WWF Also Urges GON to Support Copenhagen
--------------

6. (U) In a separate January 17 discussion on
climate change, visiting PDAS Moon also met with
Minister for Forests and Soil Conservation Deepak
Bohra and environmental activists, including Mr.
Andreas Shild, Director General, International
Center for Integration Mountain Development
(ICIMOD); Dawa Steven Sherpa, two-time Everest
climber and civil society leader; Bhola Bhattarai,
General Secretary, Federation of Community Forestry
Users, and Ugan Manandhar, World Wildlife Fund/Nepal
expert. PDAS Moon urged Nepal to support the
Copenhagen Accord. Bohra was also non-committal,
adding that the cabinet would soon discuss the
issue. WWF's Manandhar also urged Bohra to support
the Copenhagen Accord, stating that COP-15
"represents a very positive step and addresses some
critical issues".


7. (U) Bohra also outlined the GON's strategy to
become a leader on climate change both regionally
and as a key member of the group of mountain states.
Nepal is also seeking to address climate change
through expanding its network of conservation areas,
attempting to increase hydropower output, fostering
cultivation of non-timber forest products, and
seeking to prevent disasters such as glacial lake
outburst floods.

Post Comment
--------------

8. (SBU) Nepal appears more upset by the procedure
of arriving at the Accord rather than the details
itself. Sharma's particular bone seems to be the
fact that Maldives was included into the group of 28
heads of state and ministers, while Nepal wasn't.
On several occasions during the meeting, Sharma
mentioned that Nepal was one of the most vulnerable
countries in the world, especially in view of its
impact on the Himalayas, the source of water to over
a billion people downstream. He regretted that his
country was not consulted adequately.


9. (SBU) The GON's caution also seems be fed by the
negative media surrounding Copenhagen and its weak
political position. That said, the government is
cognizant of the fact that if they do not support
the Accord they may lose access to significant
funds. Senior government bureaucrats who attended
the Copenhagen are aware of this and are quietly
lobbying decision-makers to support the Accord.
ORDWAY