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courage is contagious

Viewing cable 06HELSINKI958, OES MEETING WITH EU PRESIDENT AND GERMANY ABOUT

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06HELSINKI958 2006-09-21 12:10 2011-04-24 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Helsinki
VZCZCXRO5820
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ
DE RUEHHE #0958/01 2641210
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211210Z SEP 06 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2500
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA 0045
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0691
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HELSINKI 000958 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
STATE FOR OES/PCI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG SENV TRGY TSPL FI
SUBJECT: OES MEETING WITH EU PRESIDENT AND GERMANY ABOUT 
THE COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (CSD)-15 
 
 
1. Summary: On September 19th US State Department's Special 
Representative for Sustainable Development Jonathan 
Margolis, Senior Energy Advisor Griff Thompson and Embassy 
Econ Officer Glenn Lewis met Finnish representatives of the 
Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Ministry of the Environment, 
and a German representative from the Ministry of the 
Environment to discuss preparations for the 15th Session of 
the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) in May 
2007.  EU representatives indicated their intention to 
focus on "access to energy" as a prism through which to 
view CSD-15 themes.  In the coming months, the group agreed 
to 1) focus on implementation and concrete outcomes, 2) 
attract private sector participation, 3) enhance G-77 
support, and 4) identify possible follow-up activities 
after CSD-15.  End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------- 
US Position and supporting papers 
--------------------------------- 
 
2. Margolis and Thompson provided Finnish and German 
counterparts with an overview of USG approaches towards 
energy issues in CSD-15, providing a summary of all 
negotiated text on energy over the past 16 years at UN 
conferences,  a compendium of U.S. led practical solutions 
and programs in the energy sector, a "white paper" 
describing possible outcomes for CSD-15, and the UN's 
Energy Matrix (the UN document that will catalogue and 
highlight all voluntary actions and potential policy 
approaches to address energy. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
Focus on access to energy/no global renewable energy 
targets 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
3. Finnish representative Jukka Uosukainen, Deputy Director 
General in the Ministry of the Environment noted that 
Finland had made the decision to focus on areas of 
agreement with the US for CSD-15.  Finnish technical 
experts explained that they intended to use "access to 
energy" as the organizing principle for all four themes of 
CSD-15.  Uosukainen also noted that in upcoming internal 
coordination meetings the EU member states would be asked 
to undertake reviews and assessments of voluntary programs 
that could be brought forward to CSD.  He also expressed 
support for cataloguing these programs through the UN's 
Energy Matrix.  Regarding negotiations, Uosukainen noted 
that the EU did not expect to gain agreement for a global 
renewables target and instead wanted to catalogue local and 
national level efforts on renewables.  Comment: this 
approach differed from that reported by Minister Al-Attiyah 
in our bilateral consultations with him and his team 
(SEPTEL). 
 
--------------------------- 
A matrix for policy options 
--------------------------- 
 
4. Uosukainen noted that their assessment was that it would 
not be productive to seek new far reaching negotiated 
targets at CSD-15.  In further discussions, Uosukainen 
elaborated that the EU was considering ways to use the 
Matrix to identify policy options that countries could 
adopt at a local and national level to achieve energy 
objectives, including local or national optional renewable 
energy targets (such as the Renewable Portfolio Standards 
that have been adopted by over 20 states in the US).  The 
US responded that using the Matrix in this way to catalogue 
a menu of possible policy options, instead of negotiating 
global targets, was fully consistent with our approach. 
Comment: both German and Finnish representatives noted that 
given the sensitivities in some G-77 circles about any 
policy prescriptions in this area, an approach that 
emphasized national experiences and options instead of 
global negotiations was desirable at this point. 
 
------------------------ 
Following up on progress 
------------------------ 
 
5. Both the Finnish and German representatives expressed 
interest in developing a follow up mechanism to CSD-15. 
They were explicit in noting that the purpose of this 
mechanism would be to track progress on projects and 
programs, not to create a new UN normative body.  In 
further discussions, our European colleagues expressed 
support for the US suggestion that the existing energy 
 
HELSINKI 00000958  002 OF 002 
 
 
partnerships - GVEP, REEEP, REN21 (all of which the US 
participates in) would serve as main entities tracking 
progress and provide information to interested member 
states and stakeholders.  One area of particular interest 
was to integrate energy into national development plans, 
such as Poverty Reduction Strategies, and to follow-up on 
such efforts four years down the road to monitor progress. 
 
-------------------------- 
Role of the private sector 
-------------------------- 
 
6. Finnish and German representatives expressed strong 
interest in highlighting the role of business and other 
stakeholders, and expressed satisfaction with the CEO 
panels from CSD-14.  They further agreed to US suggestions 
that CSD-15 include opportunities for ministers, CEOs, 
mayors and other stakeholders to engage in direct 
discussion.  The goal of such discussion would be to 
identify the roles and actions needed to spur 
implementation of programs and activities to address 
"access to energy".  We agreed to jointly approach the UN 
Secretariat for CSD-15 to request that it provide the 
 
SIPDIS 
logistical arrangements for such sessions at CSD-15.  We 
also agreed that a common message to CSD Chair Al-Attiyah 
encouraging him to reinforce the role of the private sector 
would be useful. 
 
--------------------- 
Further consultations 
--------------------- 
 
7. Our Finnish colleagues informed us of their intentions 
to host a broad consultation with JUSCANZ and G-77 
countries in December in Brussels.  We noted that other 
JUSCANZ countries might want an opportunity to consult with 
their EU counterparts before G-77 countries were brought 
in.  The Finns agreed to follow-up directly with Canada, 
the JUSCANZ chair to finalize modalities. 
 
8. Comment:  We were encouraged by the positive and 
constructive tone adopted by our EU colleagues.  They 
seemed to want to engage in a problem solving approach with 
us and were careful to avoid hot button issues that have 
separated us in the past.  That said, the Finns and Germans 
were careful to note that their internal policy setting 
process with all EU member states had yet to take place. 
Also, the Commission did not join what was originally 
billed as a US-Troika consultation.  Even so, we are 
guardedly optimistic and hope the Finns can deliver on the 
approach they previewed with us. 
 
WARE