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FM AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COPENHAGEN 000397 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR S/SECC, OES, EUR/NE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KGHG PGOV EFIN PREL DA
SUBJECT:  FIVE FMS PLEDGE COOPERATION TOWARD COP-15 
 
COPENHAGEN 00000397  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  The foreign ministers of Denmark, Sweden, 
Finland, United Kingdom and France met in Copenhagen on September 10 
to call urgently for reaching an ambitious climate agreement at the 
COP-15 climate conference in December.   Warning that the risks of 
failure include potential "large-scale political upheaval, massive 
food shortages, destabilizing population movements" and cuts to 
access to water for millions, Danish FM Per Stig Moeller announced 
the five ministers had committed to "deploy their diplomatic network 
worldwide," "sparing no effort" to spread the message of urgency in 
the run-up to COP-15.  Though this British initiative was not a 
meeting of heads of government, nor of climate ministers, it showed 
a shared political will to press creatively for an ambitious 
agreement in Copenhagen.  On September 11, Danish PM Rasmussen met 
with his Indian counterpart in New Delhi to advance those prospects. 
 The Danish Climate Ambassador gave the Embassy an update on 
state-of-play.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (U) The five foreign ministers, Per Stig Moeller (Denmark), 
David Miliband (UK), Bernard Kouchner (France), Carl Bildt (Sweden), 
Alexander Stubb (Finland) appeared together at an event hastily 
organized by Copenhagen University and moderated by vice rector 
Lykke Friis on September 10 to "debate the prospects of an ambitious 
international agreement on climate change in December 2009 in 
Copenhagen." 
 
¶3.  (U) FM Moeller's speech encapsulated the purpose of the event. 
Highlights follow: 
 
"...The world has to reach a global climate agreement in this city 
in less than 100 days from now. The importance of getting an 
ambitious agreement in December that does enough to help countries 
mitigate and adapt to climate change cannot be overstated. If left 
unchecked, climate change has the potential to cause large-scale 
political upheaval, massive food shortages, destabilizing population 
movements and cut vital access to water for millions people. 
 
This is not just about cutting CO2 emissions or expanding renewable 
energy. It is about foreign policy and about the security challenges 
of the 21st century. Climate change will produce new international 
challenges that will require new forms of co-operation in the area 
of foreign policy. 
 
To stand a fair chance of reaching this goal, the five foreign 
ministers gathered here today, have agreed to deploy their 
diplomatic network worldwide, around 800 embassies altogether, to 
create the necessary political will to clinch a deal in December. In 
the remaining time before the conference, we will spare no effort in 
order to get this message across in the most persuasive way 
possible. 
 
With regard to Europe, the European Commission will today issue a 
communication on stepping up international climate finance. I am 
confident that the Commission will deliver a substantial input to 
the important negotiations coming up in the European Union. 
 
The European Union has been a global leader in the climate 
negotiations. We remain committed to reducing our green house gas 
emissions by 30 percent in 2020 from the level of 1990.  But other 
developed countries have to play ball as well and deliver comparable 
reductions. We all agree here at the table to help ensure that the 
European Union delivers on its commitment to take a decision on an 
ambitious financial package at the European Council in October. 
 
The key outstanding issues in the climate negotiations at this 
moment are these. 
 
Firstly, a common goal for reducing global CO2 emissions to plus two 
degrees and no more, which the G8 already has agreed upon. This must 
be accompanied by clear reduction targets for both the medium and 
the long term. 
 
Secondly, to provide developing countries with the necessary tools 
 
COPENHAGEN 00000397  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
for them to adapt to climate change. The developing countries will 
need to build more dams, sewage systems, roads and irrigation just 
to name a few things. The agreement will therefore need to unlock 
substantial new funds to this end." 
 
¶4.  (SBU) In their comments the other FMs also emphasized the 
urgency of achieving such an agreement, and lamented the slow pace 
of UN negotiations to date, which were "not on track" to reach an 
ambitious accord in Copenhagen.  During the question-and-answer 
session that followed with an audience of students, academics 
journalists and diplomats, they responded to criticism that EU 
leaders have not shown much personal leadership on the issue.  The 
FMs were defensive on the latter point, explaining that the EU acts 
through institutions, not personalities.  FM Miliband added that 
Europe was "boringly united" on the climate issue, detracting media 
attention from European leadership on the issue.  The ministers 
claimed that Europe's emissions reduction pledges were "first on the 
table," remain the most ambitious, and could be increased further if 
other major emitters do the same.  Finnish FM Stubb contrasted 
President Obama's likeability with concrete EU action on climate.  A 
video recording of the full public session is available on 
http://event.ku.dk/meettheministers 
 
Climate Ambassador On Danish Strategy 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Denmark's Climate Change Ambassador Steffen Smidt told us 
September 10 that the FMs' "show" in Copenhagen had been initiated 
by FM Miliband (our counterparts at the British Embassy here 
confirmed that).  The visit here followed a "climate/energy tour" 
that started in Paris on September 7, proceeded to Rotterdam to 
visit a CCS project, then Warsaw and finally Copenhagen.  According 
to Smidt, the five agreed to do so to demonstrate "activism" at 
their own level on the climate issue, to get their ministries to 
coordinate and work together to promote progress in climate talks in 
the run-up to COP-15, and also to stress the link between climate 
and security. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Smidt noted positive signs of "changes on the ground in 
India and China" with regards to climate negotiations, and said that 
PM Rasmussen's visit to New Delhi and Swedish PM Reinfeldt's visit 
to South Africa were intended to help move those nations toward an 
agreement.  (Note:  Initial Danish press reports from the Rasmussen 
trip quoted the PM saying: "We have been promised that before COP15, 
India will do more for the many different approaches to be 
measurable, so they can fit in with an international agreement. But 
it is also equally clear that India cannot be expected to reduce CO2 
emissions in coming decades, when (currently) 400 million people 
have no access to electricity. What matters is that the phase of 
development that India must pass through should be as sustainable as 
possible and that the country will learn from the mistakes the West 
has done with the nvironment."  End Note.) 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Smidt said Dnmark believed the Major Economies Forum 
(MEF) to be a "useful supplementary instrument" for moving 
negotiations forward.  Smidt said EU leaders understand the need for 
the Obama Administration to work with Congress before climate 
legislation can be finalized, but are concerned about the effect of 
the U.S. healthcare debate on climate legislation. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) The EU is "smarting" over its own bruising internal debate 
over climate financing, Smidt said, noting the European Commission 
had coincidentally issued a communication on the subject the same 
day, having failed to achieve consensus in two previous attempts. 
Asked how Denmark would react to the communication, Smidt said it 
was too soon to say for certain, but he thought Denmark would 
welcome it.  He quoted FM Moeller's rhetorical flourish: "If not 
now, then when?  If not us, then who?"  Smidt expected the G77 and 
LDC states to criticize the EU finance proposal as offering too 
little.  Denmark's role in negotiations is complicated by its COP-15 
presidency, he said.  Denmark would be cautious about openly 
supporting EU positions, but Denmark planned to play an active role 
 
COPENHAGEN 00000397  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
as host, if necessary by circulating alternate texts to overcome 
negotiation gridlock. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) This meeting involved neither heads of government nor 
climate ministers.  It was a political signal that a like-minded 
group in Europe is concerned at the pace of progress but still 
committed to pushing for the most ambitious possible agreement at 
COP-15. 
 
FULTON