VZCZCXRO4023
RR RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD
DE RUCNDT #0648/01 2192340
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 072340Z AUG 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2414
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2822

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000648 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON SENV KGHG UNGA
SUBJECT: CLIMATE CHANGE: GENERAL ASSEMBLY DEBATE ATTESTS TO 
MOMENTUM FOR ACTION 
 
REF: USUN NEW YORK 302 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. Nearly 100 member states delivered remarks during the July 
31-August 2 informal thematic debate of the General Assembly 
on climate change.  The theme of "common but differentiated 
responsibilities" ran through the speeches with developed 
countries pledging continued reductions of greenhouse gas 
(GHG) emissions while developing countries asked for 
assistance (financial and technological) to aid in their 
mitigation and adaptation efforts.  Though statements 
contained few surprises, the high turnout during the event 
gave strong evidence that momentum for action on climate 
change is building rapidly in the United Nations. End Summary 
 
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SECRETARY-GENERAL, GA PRESIDENT, UNFCCC SPEAK 
 
SIPDIS 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke at the outset of the 
informal thematic debate of the General Assembly, "Climate 
change as a global challenge," saying that by the end of this 
year he wants negotiations to commence on a post-2012 
agreement that incorporates climate control, sustainable 
development and poverty reduction, which should be completed 
by 2009 to avoid a gap between the first and second 
commitment periods of the Kyoto Protocol. Ban also vowed to 
make the UN itself climate neutral under the "Greening the 
UN" initiative (details of which will be presented at a 
future date). 
 
¶3. The opening remarks of the President of the General 
Assembly, H.E. Sheikha Haya Rashed al Khalifa, raised the 
oft-referenced Rio Principle 7 on "common but differentiated 
responsibilities and respective capabilities" for addressing 
adaptation, mitigation, and sustainable development.  All 
countries must adapt to the inevitable effects of climate 
change while also reducing GHG emissions (mitigation), though 
climate actions should not harm economic growth and 
development.  Khalifa was the first of many speakers to 
underscore that the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change 
(UNFCCC) is the appropriate forum to negotiate a global deal 
beyond the Kyoto Protocol that is equitable, fair, and 
ambitious. 
 
¶4. In his remarks as part of an expert panel, UNFCCC 
Executive Director Yvo de Boer described his vision for the 
next framework agreement.  He called for a climate change 
regime where industrialized countries take the lead through 
national action to further reduce emissions, developing 
countries limit emission growth into the future, and concerns 
over economic competitiveness and additional costs of 
adaptation are taken into account. 
 
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DEVELOPED STATES VIEWS 
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¶5. In their statements, many developed countries fully 
accepted their historical responsibility for GHG emissions 
leading to climate change and pledged domestic mitigation 
programs and aid to developing countries for both adaptation 
and mitigation.  EU members referred repeatedly to their 
commitment to achieve a 20 percent reduction in GHG emissions 
by 2020 compared to 1990 levels.  Illustrating that 
aggressive mitigation efforts are compatible with vibrant 
economies, Denmark boasted that over the past 12 years its 
economy grew by 30 percent while gross energy consumption 
remained stable and carbon dioxide emissions actually reduced 
by 13 to 14 percent.  Denmark focused on increasing its 
renewable energy supply.  The Netherlands devoted its 
statement to describing regulatory policies that induce the 
private sector to invest massively in research and 
development to spur innovation in environmentally friendly 
technologies.  Considerable attention was given to the U.S. 
statement and its delivery by Ambassador Khalilzad (text 
available at www.un.int/usa), while Russia simply repeated 
its brief statement from the April climate debate in the UN 
Security Council. 
 
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DEVELOPING COUNTRIES' NUANCES 
----------------------------- 
 
¶6. Developing countries' statements had common themes 
including the importance of "common but differentiated 
responsibilities," the historical responsibility of the 
 
USUN NEW Y 00000648  002 OF 002 
 
 
developed nations, the need for financial assistance, 
technology transfers, and capacity building for mitigation 
and adaptation, and the need for early warning systems for 
natural disasters and reducing vulnerability to them. 
Developing countries were split, however, among those that 
sought to avoid any mitigation responsibilities and those 
willing to take action if given the proper incentives and 
support. 
 
¶7. Warning Flags: Both China and India stated that developing 
nations should be exempt from controlling their emissions. 
"Environmental concerns," said India, "should not become 
additional conditionalities on growth in developing 
countries."  India rather defiantly suggested using equality 
in the per capita share of GHG emissions as a fair 
distribution model.  To improve living standards and continue 
being the "world's" manufacturer, China gave notice that 
"development emissions may inevitably increase." 
 
¶8. Small Island states fearing climate change as an 
existential threat, and developing countries with potentially 
lucrative large carbon sinks such as rain forests, took a far 
more flexible view toward mitigation obligations.  Such 
countries, like Brazil and Indonesia, said the principle of 
"common but differentiated responsibilities" does not exempt 
any party of its role in combating climate change. 
Developing countries should, however, be given incentives to 
take mitigation action, such as financial assistance, 
capacity building and technology transfer.  Even without such 
assistance, several nations have already taken some action, 
such as to combat deforestation and desertification.  Island 
states such as the Maldives asked when rhetoric on mitigation 
would be matched by deeds. 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶9. Even without the high rhetoric, the sheer number of 
national statements, the debate's length (an extra day was 
added to allow all statements to be heard) and media 
attention all showed clear evidence that momentum on 
addressing climate change is building rapidly within the UN 
system.  Guest panelists, UN officials and national delegates 
alike remarked on the marked difference even since the April 
climate change debate in the Security Council.  This wave of 
momentum, however, also put in clear relief China's caution 
and India's truculence toward suggestions that the developing 
states will have to join developed economies in reducing GHG 
emissions. 
KHALILZAD