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P 160705Z JUL 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY CANBERRA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1785
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9536
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1089
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 5481
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 2102
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 2357
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 9855
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3616
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0046
RUEHBN/AMCONSUL MELBOURNE 6515
RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH 4780
RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY 4751
RHMFISS/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CANBERRA 000657 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR S/SECC STERN, PERSHING, OES/EGC TALLEY, WHITE 
HOUSE FOR CEQ SUTLEY, NSC LOI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/17/2019 
TAGS: SENV KGHG AS
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIAN READOUT ON MEF LEADERS' MEETING 
 
REF: CANBERRA 603 
 
CANBERRA 00000657  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: Economic Counselor Edgard Kagan, Reasons 1.4(b)(d) 
 
¶1. (C/NF) Summary:  Australia is generally pleased with the 
final statement of the Major Economies Forum (MEF) meetings 
in L,Aquila July 8-9, but fears that generating momentum 
towards an agreement at Copenhagen will probably require 
another meeting of MEF leaders before the December UNFCCC 
negotiations.  GOA assessment is that the MEF leaders, 
meeting did draw out positions of China and India, but did 
not deliver an "atmospheric change" that would have energized 
cooperation in the UNFCCC sphere.  Australian climate 
negotiators are concerned that the idea of G20 Finance 
Ministers reporting in September will meet resistance from 
the more conservative Treasury here in Canberra.  End 
Summary. 
¶2. (C/NF) Econoff met with Department of Climate Change 
Deputy Secretary Howard Bamsey on July 14 to discuss the 
outcomes of the recent MEF Leaders, meeting in Italy. 
Bamsey said that the Prime Minister had been pleased with the 
press conference announcing the Global Carbon Capture and 
Storage Institute and said he had "never seen anything like 
it".   Bamsey recounted PM Rudd,s improvisation on the 
stage, which reflected well on his political instincts.  The 
PM standing beside the President talking about the GCCSI with 
other MEF leaders standing behind him had amplified positive 
coverage of the MEF here in Australia and bolstered the PM,s 
image as someone that world leaders, are listening to. 
While others on Rudd,s staff have indicated some 
disappointment with their treatment at L,Aquila (septel) on 
climate change issues at least, the PM is apparently pleased 
with how things went. 
¶3. (C/NF) Bamsey said that he was disappointed initially with 
the final leaders, statement, but after more consideration 
recognized that it was a decent step.  The actual leaders, 
meeting had not gone as well as he had hoped, but a long-term 
goal, a commitment to trying to hold the 2 degree line, and 
actions by developing countries were valuable inclusions in 
the statement, as was forcing the PRC and India to formally 
put forward their initial negotiating position that they 
would never accept a global aggregate goal that could be 
interpreted as a binding commitment for developing countries. 
 While he thought developed countries "gave up a little too 
easily" on getting developing countries to agree to an 
aggregate goal of 50 percent reduction in global emissions by 
2050, he believes the other elements of the statement were 
strong.  He commented that that there is a concern that 
setting such targets in the MEF context could lessen the 
likelihood of agreement at Copenhagen.   He also felt the 
President had laid out all of the issues effectively but 
there was a lack of interplay between leaders and too little 
substantive discussion of major issues.   That was partly due 
to the timing of the meeting and to the fact that key player 
Hu Jintao had not participated, and Germany had not made any 
QHu Jintao had not participated, and Germany had not made any 
substantive contribution to the discussion.   In Bamsey,s 
opinion, the "atmospheric change" Australia had hoped would 
come out of the MEF had not developed, and if the MEF is to 
contribute substantially to Copenhagen, another meeting of 
leaders would be necessary.  Bamsey recognized this would be 
extremely difficult, and said that Copenhagen would be "more 
difficult" than he had previously thought unless the MEF 
generated some additional breakthrough in upcoming meetings. 
¶4. (C/NF) Bamsey said that the suggestion to have G20 Finance 
Ministers report on financing details in September in 
Pittsburg had not been agreed to, but had been endorsed by 
the President in his public comments, so would now take 
place.  Bamsey believed this would require a separate meeting 
of Finance Ministers prior to September and he said that it 
would be a challenge to get the Australian Treasury involved 
in the MEF process between now and September, as Treasury was 
more conservative and concerned about being dragged into 
negotiating on international financing issues.  Australia is 
looking forward to more detail on financing, and Bamsey said 
 
CANBERRA 00000657  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
he thought the Mexico proposal for a Green Fund was "just 
about there" in terms of forming the basis for a deal.   The 
GOA is looking at the possible calendar options for 
substantive leaders meetings around the G-20 or elsewhere, 
but has no concrete suggestions and will follow the lead of 
the U.S. 
¶5. (C/NF)  Comment:  Bamsey's view that the MEF process, 
though useful, was not enough and that a real breakthrough at 
the top will be necessary for success at Copenhagen is likely 
to reflect PM Rudd's concerns.  While happy with PM Rudd's 
participation in the MEF, Australia appears to believe that 
further MEF meetings will not generate any breakthroughs 
unless leaders are again involved.  End Comment. 
 
CLUNE