VZCZCXRO1548
RR RUEHFL RUEHNP
DE RUEHRO #1188 3001802
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271802Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2813
INFO RUEHMIL/AMCONSUL MILAN 0296
RUEHFL/AMCONSUL FLORENCE 3864
RUEHNP/AMCONSUL NAPLES 4077
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS 4871
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 1603
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0001
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 0588
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0458
RUEAEPA/HQ EPA WASHDC

UNCLAS ROME 001188 
 
SIPDIS 
 
OES/ENV - H. FINMAN AND J. THOMPSON 
EUR/ERA - M. BEH 
EUR/PCI - S. PARKER-BURNS 
EUR/WE - S. HARTMANN 
CAIRO FOR MONTREAL PROTOCOL USDEL 
EPA FOR A. PHILLIPS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: SENV AORC KGHG IT
SUBJECT: ADDING HFCS TO THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL: ITALY IN FAVOR BUT 
REQUESTS A LATER PHASEDOWN START 
 
REF: STATE 95899 
 
¶1.  Summary.  Italy supports including hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in 
the Montreal Protocol, as proposed by the U.S., Canada and Mexico, 
but believes that the phasedown dates in the North American proposal 
are too soon.  Italy would like the Montreal Protocol Technical and 
Economic Assessment Panel to study the issue more deeply first.  The 
Italian Government (GOI) also will seek assurances that HFC-23 
greenhouse-gas-emissions projects that it has with China will be 
able to keep earning emissions-reduction credits until the end of 
their established credit period, if HFC-23 is moved from the Kyoto 
Protocol to the Montreal Protocol.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  On September 16, SCICouns delivered reftel proposal to MFA 
Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development Director Giovanna 
Piccarreta, who confirmed that the Environment Ministry would have 
the lead for the GOI on the issue.  On September 29, Post delivered 
reftel proposal to Ms. Giuliana Gasparrini of the Environment 
Ministry (MOE) Directorate General for Environmental Research and 
Development.  Gasparrini heads Division V, which deals with European 
Union and United Nations conventions including the Montreal Protocol 
on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.  On October 22, Mr. 
Alessandro Peru of Gasparrini's staff provided SCI Specialist with 
the GOI's response to the North American proposal. 
 
¶3.  According to the MOE's Peru, the GOI's position is in favor of 
the North American proposal to include HFCs in the Montreal 
Protocol.  However, the GOI believes precise information is missing 
in several areas and that the Montreal Protocol Technical and 
Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) should carry out studies first on - 
inter alia - total world HFC production, environmental impacts, and 
phasedown costs.  For that reason, Italy will recommend a later 
phasedown start date.  Peru added that Italy is surprised that the 
proposal also includes hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs), which he said have 
in many cases lower Global Warming Potential than natural gases. 
Moreover, he added, since HFOs have been considered good substitutes 
for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), 
the industrial sector will not be pleased with that change. 
 
¶4.  Peru raised the GOI's most important concern: that the proposal 
recommends moving from the Kyoto Protocol to the Montreal Protocol 
HFC-23, an HCFC-manufacturing byproduct.  Since the GOI has many 
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects with China on HFC-23 
collection and decomposition, it wants to be assured that it will be 
allowed to keep carrying them out - and keep receiving emissions 
credits for them - until the end of their established emissions 
credit period. 
 
¶5.  Italy will be represented at the Montreal Protocol Meeting of 
the Parties (MoP) in Port Ghalib, Egypt in early November by four 
MOE officials:  Federica Fricano, Alessandro Peru, Paola Colla and 
Mauro Mennuni.  Fricano, an expert in the office of MOE Director 
General for Environmental Research and Development Corrado Clini, 
will serve as head of delegation; Colla and Mennuni, like Peru, work 
for Giuliana Gasparrini.  MOE U/S Roberto Menia is also scheduled to 
go to the MoP, but his participation now seems unlikely.  Post is 
arranging a meeting for State/OES/ENV Director Gumbiner with Ms. 
Fricano and Mr. Peru on October 30 in Rome, following the October 
26-29 Meeting of the Consultative Group on International 
Environmental Governance.  Ms. Fricano has headed Italian 
delegations to other Montreal Protocol meetings in the past, and is 
a good contact of Post's Science Office on climate and other 
environmental issues.  She speaks English. 
THORNE