VZCZCXYZ0013
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGV #0418/01 1551509
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 041509Z JUN 09
FM USMISSION GENEVA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8484

UNCLAS GENEVA 000418 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/ENV 
STATE FOR IO/T 
DEPT PASS TO DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION 
DEPT PASS TO HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL OFFICE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR SENV UN ECE
SUBJECT: UNECE - Economic Development and Climate Change 
 
REF: Geneva 121 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: At the last session of the United Nations Economic 
Commission for Europe (ECE), the high-level segment of the meeting 
focused on economic development in the ECE region and the regional 
aspects of climate change mitigation and adaptation.  Other items on 
the agenda included ECE reform and reform of the Environment for 
Europe (Efe) process.  The meeting outcome took the form of a 
decision that reaffirmed ECE reform, postponed review of meeting 
biennialization, endorsed the EfE reform plan, approved the terms of 
reference for Timber Committee, and empowered the Executive 
Committee to take action to improve the Committee on Trade.  The ECE 
also decided not to pursue the development of an early warning 
mechanism with the OSCE.  Overall the meeting was efficient and 
effective, although the substantive discussions on climate change 
may have had limited value-added to the audience of mostly staff and 
local diplomats.   End Summary. 
 
---------- 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
¶2.  UNECE held its sixty-third session March 30 - April 1 2009.  The 
fifty-six member UNECE is a valuable resource for global standards 
setting, technical assistance (particularly in non-EU Europe, 
Caucuses and Central Asia) and regional policy discussions. 
 
¶3.  At its 60th Session in 2005, the UN ECE adopted a set of reforms 
intended to improve the effectiveness of the Commission.  The 2005 
ECE Work Plan incorporated the reforms, which defined focused 
subprograms and more streamlined management and decision-making 
structures.  In line with the reformed Work Plan, the 62nd ECE 
Session in 2007 provided strategic direction on specific themes for 
the 2009 session, including climate change and economic development 
of the ECE region.  The 2009 thematic sessions subsequently 
highlighted the ECE role in the dialogue on regional economic and 
trade issues, which include transport and environment.  It also 
included a detailed discussion on climate change, which was 
well-balanced and focused on the regional implementation and 
coordination role of the ECE in mainstreaming activities to address 
climate change. 
 
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ECE Reform 
---------- 
 
¶4. The Commission took several reform-related decisions at the 63rd 
Session.  However, the ECE decided that it is too early to assess 
the change in frequency of ECE Sessions, which became biennial in 
2007, so it will revisit the question in 2011.  Although the ECE is 
improving and enhancing cooperation with other regional and 
international actors, it also decided not to pursue the development 
of an early warning mechanism with the OSCE (this mechanism had been 
included in the 2005 Work Plan).  The Committee endorsed the EfE 
reform plan, approved the terms of reference for Timber Committee, 
and empowered the Executive Committee (EXCOM) to take action to 
increase the relevance of and participation in the Committee on 
Trade. 
 
¶5. The Executive Committee (EXCOM) serves as the standing governing 
body of the ECE between official sessions.  Meeting once a month, 
the EXCOM reviews the work of all Sectoral Committees and approves 
their work programs and the establishment and renewal of any 
subsidiary bodies.  Another result of the 2005 reforms, the EXCOM 
governing structure has been successful in improving efficiency, 
coordination and communication between the components of the ECE. 
In 2006 the EXCOM revised the ECE Technical Cooperation Strategy. 
It also took action over the biennium.  The EXCOM also maintains 
focus on the three cross-sectoral issues identified in the Work 
Plan: Millennium Development Goals, gender, and the private sector 
and NGOs.  Management achievements for the biennium include actions 
to improve planning, monitoring and evaluation, communication, 
resource mobilization and website usability.  Review of Sectoral 
Committees will occur in 2011. 
 
********** 
EfE Reform 
********** 
 
¶6. The Commission endorsed the draft Environment for Europe (EfE) 
Process reforms, which the UNECE's Committee on Environmental Policy 
(CEP) had adopted in January 2009 after lengthy negotiations.  The 
EfE process is anchored by periodic Ministerial Conferences, which 
had historically been resource-intensive with limited benefit.  As a 
result of reforms, the 2011 EfE ministerial conference in Kazakhstan 
will now focus on just two themes and produce a negotiated outcome 
document limited to two pages.  (reftel) 
 
 
************ 
Other issues 
************ 
 
¶7.  ECE Executive Secretary Kubis closed with a summary of recurring 
themes expressed by Member State representatives: 
- Prioritizing demand-driven work and projects 
- A focus on membership-driven programs 
- The importance of the political role of the Commission as a 
regional unifier 
- The vital technical role of the UNECE in producing pragmatic 
results 
- The importance of member feedback 
- The need to improve visibility and increase the relevance of the 
UNECE, particularly in NY. 
 
¶8. During the next biennium, the Executive Committee Bureau will 
consist of Belgium as President, with Vice Presidents Kyrgyztan and 
Serbia. Kyrgyzstan noted its intention to seek the presidency of the 
Bureau. 
 
******* 
Comment 
******* 
 
¶9. Overall the meeting was efficient and effective, although the 
substantive discussions on climate change may have limited 
value-added to the audience of mostly UN staff and local diplomats. 
The UNECE is still a vitally important technical and coordinating 
body for the European Region that also directly influences and 
develops global standards.  The UNECE has not been a political 
priority for the U.S. although most U.S. agencies and the U.S. 
Chamber of Commerce are active in its technical work.  We are 
particularly engaged in transport, timber, environment an electronic 
standards, although we could be more engaged in other aspects, such 
as housing.  Kubis joined the UNECE in February and brings solid 
experience from the EU and OSCE.  He intends to increase the 
political profile of the UNECE. 
 
STORELLA#