ZAMBIA PLAYS WAIT AND SEE WITH COPENHAGEN ACCORD

C O N F I D E N T I A L LUSAKA 000095 SIPDIS STATE FOR OES/EGC DNELSON AND KLARSEN, OES/ENV RKASTENBERG, AND AF/S LAYLWARD E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2020 TAGS: PREL KGHG SENV ENRG ZA SUBJECT: ZAMBIA PLAYS WAIT AND SEE WITH COPENHAGEN ACCORD REF: A. STATE 3080 ¶B. STATE 11182 ¶C. LUSAKA 0044 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i. Michael Koplovsky for reasons 1. 4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) Zambian Minister of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Catherine Namugala told Charge February 10 that the Zambian government (GRZ) declined to associate itself with the Copenhagen Accord (refs A and B). She echoed concerns she shared with the Ambassador January 19 (ref C) that COP-15 should have produced a "binding" treaty, that the Accord did not specify carbon emission reduction targets for developed countries, and that the funding to fight climate change was not assured. She was also concerned how the Accord would affect Zambia -- especially the prospect that an agreement would impose an emissions reduction target on Zambia as it strives to meet its development objectives while providing inadequate funding to help Zambia mitigate climate change. ¶2. (C) Applying the "best defense is a good offense" approach, Namugala pressed Charge on USG plans to sign and implement the Kyoto Accord. Namugala left the door slightly ajar by telling Charge that Zambia would respond formally to the UNFCCC "shortly." When Charge pressed her on the regional concensus coalescing around the Accord, she acknowledged that Zambian President Banda had signed on to the African Union's explicit support for the Accord during the recent AU Summit. Namugala was unmoved by reports that half a dozen SADC neighbors had associated themselves. She also suggested that Zambia might support the Accord or a follow-on agreement if there is movement toward a binding treaty that sets specific emissions targets for developed countries and adequately funds the Global Climate Fund. KOPLOVSKY