VZCZCXRO5332
RR RUEHAST RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHTM
DE RUEHSJ #0592 1932156
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 112156Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9930
INFO RUEHZN/EST COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHINGTON DC
RUEHLA/AMCONSUL BARCELONA 0030
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 0727
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0329

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000592 
 
STATE FOR OES/PCI (LSPERLING) AND WHA/CEN (ROIS BEAL) 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USAID 
SAN SALVADOR FOR ESTOFF AND USAID 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV ECON PREL CS
SUBJECT: Costa Rica Seeks Support for Rodriguez as IUCN President 
 
¶1.  (U) On June 23, the Costa Rican Foreign Ministry delivered a 
diplomatic note seeking U.S. support for the candidacy of 
ex-Minister of Energy and Environment Carlos Manuel Rodriguez 
Echandi for the Presidency of the Geneva-based International Union 
for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).  The election will be held at 
the October World Congress for Nature in Barcelona.  Text of the 
note is set forth in paragraph 6.  Attached biographic material was 
sent separately to OES/PCI. 
 
¶2.  (U) Rodriguez currently serves as the Regional Vice President 
(Mexico - Central America) for Conservation International and 
director of its regional Center for Biodiversity Conservation.  He 
also serves as the alternate Conservation International 
representative to the U.S.-Costa Rica Tropical Forest Conservation 
Agreement's Oversight Committee. 
 
------------------------------- 
Assessment of Rodriguez' Tenure 
------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) As Minister of Environment and Energy under the Pacheco 
Presidency, Rodriguez chafed against the inertia of the Costa Rican 
government system and enlisted the cooperation of civil society and 
international partners to make resources available to back policy 
changes.  He worked closely with international NGOs to improve both 
Ministry and protected areas administration.  Other instances were 
controversial -- agreements with local community organizations on 
national park management, for example, were voided on constitutional 
grounds.  Policies pursued included the payments for environmental 
services program, in which landowners were paid to maintain their 
forests; use of promotion of logged timber audits with geographic 
information system tools; reduced sulfur context in gasoline; a 
pilot ethanol project; and road restrictions in central San Jose. 
He sought to strengthen his Ministry's hand in budget negotiations 
by presenting the first evaluation of the contribution by protected 
areas to the national economy. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The Achilles heel of Rodriguez' tenure was the failure of 
his Ministry to grapple with energy issues as Costa Rica's demand 
pulled even with supply, leaving the Arias Administration to 
confront nationwide blackouts in April-May 2007, and to contract 
fossil fuel-powered generators to avoid a repeat in 2008, eroding 
prospects for a 100 percent renewable-powered electrical grid. 
Reform of Costa Rican water laws moved at a glacial pace and little 
attention was paid to garbage, air pollution and other "brown" 
issues. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) While an engaging, even inspiring, speaker on 
environmental issues and possessing a creative mind for 
problem-solving, Post assess that Rodriguez, as an administrator, 
will need a strong team to ensure implementation.  He had a warm and 
accessible relationship with Embassy San Jose during his tenure as 
Minister and accepted differences with the United States over issues 
such as climate change, methyl bromide, pending expropriation cases 
and controversial oil exploration concessions in a cooperative 
manner. 
 
¶6. (U) Text of Diplomatic Note DGPE/PIII-C/116/0608 
 
(Courtesy Opening) ... and has the honor to announce that the 
Government of Costa Rica has decided to present the candidacy of Mr. 
Carlos Manuel Rodriguez Echandi to the post of President of the 
Council of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature in 
elections to be held during the World Congress for Nature to be held 
in October, 2008, in Barcelona, Spain. 
 
Mr. Rodriguez Echandi has solid academic preparation as well as wide 
experience and international recognition as an energetic 
conservationist, both in his work with non government organizations 
and in public service. 
 
Costa Rica recognizes the great importance of the work of IUCN on 
behalf of the environment and conservation, and supports its 
interdisciplinary vision, and believes that this Costa Rican 
nomination will contribute to strengthening the program and 
objectives of this organization. 
 
Our government solicits the support of the Honorable Government of 
the United States for the aforementioned candidate. (Courtesy 
close) 
 
Cianchette