Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10VIENNA108
2010-01-29 08:21:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Vienna
Cable title:  

Copenhagen Accord: Austria to Inscribe via EU

Tags:  KGHG SENV ENRG AU END 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO1194
PP RUEHIK
DE RUEHVI #0108 0290821
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 290821Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4083
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS VIENNA 000108 

SENSITIVE, SIPDIS

STATE FOR OES/EGC, EUR/CE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KGHG SENV ENRG AU END
SUBJECT: Copenhagen Accord: Austria to Inscribe via EU

REF: STATE 3080

UNCLAS VIENNA 000108

SENSITIVE, SIPDIS

STATE FOR OES/EGC, EUR/CE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KGHG SENV ENRG AU END
SUBJECT: Copenhagen Accord: Austria to Inscribe via EU

REF: STATE 3080


1. (SBU) On January 22, Ambassador Eacho delivered reftel demarche
to EnvirMin Nikolaus Berlakovich (GoA Minister of Agriculture,
Environment, Forestry, and Water Management). Berlakovich assured
the Ambassador that Austria, along with the other EU countries,
would associate itself with the Copenhagen Accord. Berlakovich said
the EU will submit a listing of its targets and that Austria would
support the current target of a 20% reduction of greenhouse-gas
emissions by 2020.


2. (SBU) The Ambassador suggested that Austria urge other countries
where Austria has special influence, such as Croatia and other
Balkan states, to associate themselves with the Copenhagen Accord.
Berlakovich replied that the GoA would consider the idea and
subsequently told the Ambassador they had communicated with Zagreb,
who planned to associate.


3. (SBU) In a follow-up meeting Jan. 28 with DCM, Environment
Ministry Secretary General Reinhold Mang reaffirmed that Austria
would, through the EU process, associate itself with the Copenhagen
Accord. He expects the EU to inscribe its 20 percent CO2 reduction
goal (some German pressure notwithstanding),but not indicate
specific national goals (NOTE: Austria's 2020 mitigation target is
16% under the EU burden-sharing agreement). Mang expects the EU to
reaffirm its offer of EUR 10.6 billion in fast track funding, but it
was not clear whether this goal would also be inscribed with the
UNFCCC. Asked about future EU negotiating flexibility, Mang said he
found it hard to envisage any change in how the EU as a whole
approaches the climate talks. He said Austrian NGO's were
disappointed that the funding specifics had not yet been worked out
and we agreed to keep his Ministry and the Embassy in close contact
on these and other Copenhagen implementation issues going forward.


4. (SBU) Mang, who is focused on GoA domestic efforts to meet its
revised Kyoto commitments, reported on efforts to negotiate a
"national energy strategy" and related climate law. Both industry
and Austria's federal states pose particular challenges to the
effort, but he was optimistic that the package could include tax
measures to help Austria reduce its transport sector emissions. He
stressed, however, that the Environment Ministry can only regulate
the agricultural and waste sectors, and that domestic negotiations
would be difficult.

GoA Opposes Higher Mitigation Targets
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


5. (SBU) In a related conversation, Austria's chief climate
negotiator Helmut Hojesky indicated to us that the GoA opposes any
move by the European Union to adopt targets beyond the current
20/20/20 plan. Although a "few large member states" continue to
advocate for higher targets, the GoA opposes such a move -- barring
breakthrough commitments by other large economies -- and Hojesky
does not expect that member states could find consensus on higher
targets.

EACHO