This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 008576 
 
SIPDIS 
 
REFTEL:  Paris 8016 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL SENV ENRG KPAO FR
SUBJECT: FRENCH MEDIA REACTION: MONTREAL CLIMATE CONFERENCE 
 
 
¶1.   Summary. During the run-up to the eleventh Conference of the 
Parties under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in 
Montreal November 28-December 9, the French press relentlessly 
criticized the U.S. and highlighted the "intransigent" attitude 
of the "world's largest polluter." Commentary in the media tended 
to be dismissive of the U.S. commitment to combat climate change, 
noting technological investments are not enough. Instead, the 
Kyoto Protocol with its binding emission reductions was praised 
and the U.S. was singled out for refusing to ratify it. The Bush 
administration was portrayed as being out of touch with an 
American public that is increasingly aware of the consequences of 
climate change. Environment persists as one of the perennial 
issues sparking anti-American criticism in French media reports 
and editorial commentary.  As Paris continues our efforts to tell 
the U.S. side of the story to a audience, we also ask for 
Washington's assistance with providing high-level spokespeople 
willing to engage French media, whether in person or via DVC. End 
summary. 
 
Multi-pronged Outreach Effort 
 
¶2.   The French tend to see Kyoto as the litmus test of climate 
change sincerity, and therefore the press rarely focuses on U.S. 
efforts to fight climate change.  Embassy Paris has been working 
to explain American policy and to highlight our achievements. The 
EST section has developed a French-language power point 
presentation on U.S. climate change actions, and EST staff has 
been programmed by PA for presentations to various groups around 
the country, including to the leading journalism school in 
France.  The Public Affairs Section, in cooperation with EST 
colleagues, wrote an op-ed for Ambassador Stapleton's signature 
and placed it in one in the nation's premiere business dailies 
this fall.  Public Affairs staff has also recently responded to a 
national petition drive (some 15,000 signatures) urging the U.S. 
to ratify Kyoto and met with the organizing group's leadership. 
Additionally, the Information Resource Center distributed the 
Department's comprehensive "Energy Needs, Clean Development and 
Climate Change" publication to a targeted group of contacts, 
including environmental journalists. 
 
November 28-29 Media Summary: 
 
¶3. In the run-up to the meeting, the dailies reported the talks 
were going to be "tough" (economic Les Echos on November 28) and 
"stormy" (business-oriented La Tribune on November 28) with 
"Europe and the U.S. heating up over the climate" (free daily 20 
Minutes on November 28). 20 Minutes was hopeful that the U.S. 
would "use this summit as an opportunity to come back into the 
Kyoto process. and get a fresh start on the issue of climate 
change in cooperation with the Protocol's signatory countries." 
La Tribune for its part lamented: "in light of the U.S.'s 
position as regards the Kyoto Protocol, a clash with the other 
participants at the Montreal Summit appears to be inevitable." 
Media also insisted on America's "isolation" and the difficult 
task of convincing the U.S. to make any commitments to reducing 
CO2 emissions (mid-day news on state-run France 2 on November 
28). Coverage of the conference was sparse during negotiations, 
but one economic daily said: "by refusing any compromise, the 
U.S. is driving the Montreal conference to chaos but for some, 
however, all hope is not yet lost." (La Tribune on December 8). 
As the COP 11 was winding down most outlets showed guarded 
enthusiasm with headlines such as: "Kyoto Gets a Second Wind" 
(regional daily Le Telegramme 12/11), "A Ray of Hope in Montreal" 
(regional daily La Charente Libre 12/12), "A Breath of Air for 
the Kyoto Protocol" (Communist l'Humanite 12/12). 
 
¶4. Editorial commentary immediately prior to and on the first 
days of the conference focused on the key points subject to 
negotiation in Montreal with an emphasis on the question of what 
to do after Kyoto? Left-of-center Le Monde on November 29 
headlined: "Worldwide Alert on the Climate at the Conference in 
Montreal." Environment journalist for the daily Herve Kempf stood 
out from his peers for observantly writing: "The U.S. uses the 
argument that the Kyoto Protocol imposes no obligations on 
developing countries such as China or India to curb CO2 emissions 
despite the fact that these countries are leading economic powers 
in order to justify its position . the fact is that this is a 
true statement and something that must be dealt with." 
 
¶5. Some dailies highlighted the American public's heightened 
awareness of climate change phenomena since hurricane Katrina. 
This awareness, commentators noted, has led to a growing rift 
between American public opinion and the administration's 
position. Le Figaro said that sadly: "hurricane Katrina is the 
best lobbyist the Kyoto Protocol has ever had" (December 10). 
 
¶6. State or regional, as opposed to federal, initiatives to deal 
with climate change, for example, the Northeast Climate Action 
Plan, were outlined in dailies such as Le Figaro, Liberation and 
Le Monde. Le Figaro's Caroline de Malet on November 28 wrote that 
these programs to limit greenhouse gas emissions at the state 
level reveal "George W. Bush's isolation with regard to the rank 
and file." Catholic La Croix on November 29 noted that while the 
"expectation for the conference is that the American 
administration. will attempt to block any progress within the 
framework of Kyoto, some progress has occurred in the U.S. Many 
states have taken it upon themselves to reduce their emissions." 
Following the conference, dailies such as regional La Charente 
Libre reported that 70% of Americans are concerned by climate 
change and wondered whether "George W. Bush is the only American 
left who is not?" (December 12) 
 
¶7. On November 29, business-oriented daily La Tribune's 
editorialist Pascal Aubert asked whether the best approach to 
fighting global warming is to "constrain or convince?" He went on 
to say: "The international community remains divided on global 
warming and will be hard pressed to stand united in Montreal. The 
limitations of voluntary emissions reduction have become 
apparent. and it is illusory to believe, like the U.S. does, that 
technological progress is enough to curb climate change." 
 
December 8-13 Media Summary: 
¶8. Editorial commentary during the conference itself was rare 
with dailies preferring to bring up related issues to the summit 
such as the Inuit organization that filed a law suit against the 
U.S. for not doing enough to fight the thawing of the Arctic 
icecaps. 
 
¶9. Post-conference commentary gave the overall summit results 
some praise, but charged that the American "administration 
continues to play the role of the bad boy in climate change 
negotiations" (Le Monde on December 12). For regional daily Le 
Telegramme the "real `bad guys' at this conference were not the 
Americans but the Russians who unsuspectingly blocked all 
negotiations at the last minute." "A great step for humanity and 
a small hop for the U.S" wrote Bruno Cot in weekly center-right 
news magazine l'Express on December 15. "The U.S., which remains 
the world's foremost polluter, has agreed to sign a text on the 
condition that it does not commit it to anything." Most dailies 
agreed that the adoption of the Clean Development Mechanism 
represents "a huge step forward in the fight against global 
warming" (business-oriented La Tribune on December 12). 
 
¶10. Dailies and weeklies noted the speech by former president 
Bill Clinton toward the close of the conference that further 
"annoyed and isolated George W. Bush's administration" (Le Figaro 
on December 12). Regional daily La Charente Libre on December 12 
editorialized: "Bill Clinton is light years from George Bush who 
looks out for the interests of his friends in the oil business. 
The political and popular success that Bill Clinton had in 
Montreal doubtless led the U.S. to adopt a low profile." 
 
¶11. Comment:  Overall, commentary before and after the Montreal 
conference jibes with the official GOF position as set out in 
reftel. Public Affairs regretted it was not possible to organize 
a digital video conference with chief U.S. climate negotiator 
Harlan Watson (similar to the DVC set up last year prior to COP 
10). Several French environmental journalists had queried the 
Embassy regarding the U.S. position going into the COP and we 
relayed that request, more than once, to the Department. In the 
lead up to future climate change meetings, we recommend the 
Department make it a priority to make U.S. officials available 
for press opportunities to explain U.S. policies and actions on 
climate change. There is, for example, another possibility for a 
DVC prior to next month's ministerial meeting of the Asia Pacific 
Partnership on Clean Energy and the Climate. STAPLETON