VZCZCXRO1907
RR RUEHIK
DE RUEHVI #1347 2891232
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 161232Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3442
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES

UNCLAS VIENNA 001347 
 
SENSITIVE, SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/EGC, EUR/CE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV KGHG ENRG EIND ECON AU
SUBJECT: Austrian Climate Negotiator Pessimistic on Copenhagen, 
Assertive re Industrial Interests 
 
REF: A) Vienna 1264, B) State 097542 
 
¶1. (SBU) At a Vienna conference October 12, long-time lead Austrian 
UNFCCC negotiator Helmut Hojesky gave a highly pessimistic readout 
of the Copenhagen process following Bangkok.  The overarching 
"crunch point" remains the question of paying for climate change 
mitigation and adaptation.  Until financing is resolved, key 
countries (China, Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, Brazil, and 
particularly India) are not willing to commit to binding mitigation 
measures.  Off the record (over lunch), Hojesky added that China 
appears to be flexible, while India is the real stumbling block. 
 
¶2. (U) Hojesky regretted that the bracketed 800-page negotiating 
document has hardly been narrowed.  A major problem is that 
negotiations remain on two separate tracks:  the Working Group on 
Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA) and the Working Group on Further 
Commitments (AWG-KP). 
 
USG "Silence" at Bangkok 
- - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶3. (U) The EU is pressing for a "Single Undertaking" and has been 
accused by India of trying to "kill Kyoto to serve the interests of 
the U.S." -- not true, Hojesky emphasized.  GoA representative 
questioned though why the U.S. delegation "remained almost 
completely silent" in Bangkok.  Hojesky -- a 15-year veteran of 
climate negotiations -- could not perceive any U.S. signals or 
active participation at Bangkok.  The developing countries will only 
move if the U.S. is willing to put something on the table, he said. 
 
Austria's Interests as Industrial Exporter 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶4. (U) Hojesky detailed Austria's national interests in climate 
negotiations (emphasizing that these will be discussed within the EU 
caucus, which will speak with one voice at Copenhagen): 
-- Strict adherence to EU criteria for moving from 20% to 30% 
Greenhouse Gas reduction goals; 
-- No competitive disadvantages for Austrian producers -- resorting 
if necessary to mechanisms such as border tax adjustments; 
-- More precise definitions of "comparable emissions reduction" 
undertakings by industrial countries and the "appropriate 
contributions" to which developing countries will commit; 
-- Measures by developing countries to reduce emissions (compared to 
trendline/business-as-usual) must be concrete and measurable; and 
-- Carbon-sink and land-use abatement projects should support 
sustainable cultivation; 
 
COMMENT 
- - - - 
 
¶5. (SBU) Business representatives at the conference portrayed a 30% 
emissions reduction target (in 2020) as unachievable in Austria or 
in the EU, and said they are lobbying European authorities not to go 
beyond 20%.  We note that most tenets of Austria's platform imply 
controversy with developing countries -- but that conflict will play 
out primarily behind closed doors, since Austria will support the 
common EU line publicly. 
 
EACHO