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 
 
¶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