VZCZCXRO7830
PP RUEHGI RUEHRN
DE RUEHLGB #0830/01 3381441
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 041441Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY KIGALI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6487
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUZEFAA/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP 0125
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0329

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KIGALI 000830 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR OES 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV EAGR EAID ECON RW
SUBJECT: RWANDAN VIEWS ON CLIMATE CHANGE 
 
REF: A. KIGALI 531 
     ¶B. KIGALI 740 
 
KIGALI 00000830  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY: Many Rwandans are aware of the negative 
impacts of climate change on their country and are taking a 
proactive approach, both domestically and internationally, to 
mitigate against those impacts.  The government of Rwanda 
(GOR) is aggressively promoting "clean and green" energy (Ref 
A), conservation and reforestation.  Resources are limited 
and the challenges great.  Rwanda supports the African common 
position on climate change, but sees this in terms of 
partnerships and investment.  It would use "adaptation" funds 
to transform agriculture and help rebuild the country's 
degraded ecosystems.  END SUMMARY. 
 
Impact of Climate Change on Rwanda 
---------------------------------- 
¶2. (U) A November 25 report by the Stockholm Environment 
Institute (SEI) on the economics of climate change in Rwanda 
indicates that climate change could cost the economy an 
estimated 1 percent of GDP annually by 2030. The impacts of 
climate change are cross-cutting and have affected 
agriculture, health, energy and degradation of eco-systems. 
The report estimates that the risk to the rural population 
from malaria could increase by 150 percent by 2050, adding an 
additional economic burden to the country. 
 
¶3. (U) The Director General of the Rwanda Environmental 
Management Authority (REMA) Dr. Rose Mukankomeje told 
dEtyOe:BL", early warning systems, 
introducing of crop species resistant to environmental 
stress, developing renewable and environmentally friendly 
energy sources and pursuing aggressive reforestation and 
afforestation programs. 
 
 
Green and Clean Energy 
---------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) On August 15-19, government officials told visiting 
EEB Senior Economic Advisor Joan Wadelton they are working to 
make Rwanda 100 percent "clean and green" by 2012 (Ref A). 
In addition to using methane from Lake Kivu as a new source 
of power, The GOR is aggressively seeking to develop the 
country's hydro electric and geothermal resources.  Solar 
power and biogas are being introduced to rural areas, remote 
from the electrical grid.  On October 28 the GOR approved a 
U.S. private sector-sponsored biofuels project in eastern 
Rwanda.  Run by American-owned Eco-Fuel Global and 
British-owned Eco-Fuel Positive, the project will develop 
jointly 10,000 hectares of marginal land for production of 
jatropha and build vegetable oil extraction facilities to 
process jatropha oil and jatropha seed cake (used as 
fertilizer).  Eco-Fuel Global estimates the project will 
produce between 4-5 million gallons of biofuel annually 
(after eight years, when the jatropha trees reach full 
maturity), about 10 percent of Rwanda's current diesel 
consumption (Ref B). 
 
Let's Plant some Trees 
---------------------- 
¶5. (U) In December 2009, the GOR will begin an extensive 
reforestation program to expand Gishwati forest in 
west-central Rwanda and connect it by a 50-kilometer 
tree-corridor to the 1,000 square kilometer Nyungwe forest to 
the south.  Gishwati forest lost 99.4 percent of its forest 
Qthe south.  Gishwati forest lost 99.4 percent of its forest 
cover between 1986 and 2001 and is now less than 1,200 
hectares in size.  The first phase of the project aims to 
relocate 100 farming families and reforest 400 hectares of 
farmland.  Ultimately, up to 5,000 families will be affected 
by the reforestation project. (Note: In land-poor Rwanda, 
reforestation projects inevitably require massive, and 
unpopular, relocation of local farmers.  End Note). 
 
¶6. (U) Rwanda's national development plan, Vision 2020, calls 
for an increase in forest coverage of 3.5 percent by 2012 and 
another 20 percent by 2020.  Last month the GOR dedicated 
umuganda (one day of national service per month required of 
 
KIGALI 00000830  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
all Rwandans)  to "national tree planting week."  According 
to Minister of Environment and Land (Minister of Environment 
and Natural Resources until December 2) Stanislas Kamanzi, 
the goal of the event was to plant up to 20 million trees on 
18,000 hectares throughout the country. 
 
What Rwanda Wants out of Copenhagen 
----------------------------------- 
¶7. (U) The GOR and Rwandan civil society support the "African 
common position" on climate change.  Kamanzi told the press 
November 11 that Rwanda "believes the world should seriously 
embark on reducing green house gasses, adopt green 
technologies and other production practices that are 
environmentally friendly."  However, rather than talking in 
terms of compensation, Kamanzi said the focus should be on 
cooperation and partnerships, in which polluting countries 
would help developing countries implement climate adaptation 
programs to cope with the negative impact of climate change. 
"The issue of compensation shouldn't be a condition.  People 
have to go in a synergistic manner in making sure that this 
(climate change) is dealt with and avoid going into a blame 
game," he added. 
 
¶8. (U) A November 25th declaration by the Rwanda Climate 
Change Network (a coalition of Rwandan civil society 
organizations) called for "transparent, representative, 
accountable and easy to access adaptation assistance, 
mitigation programs to support implementation of clean 
renewable energy and sustainable low carbon development, and 
financing and capacity building to support adaptation and 
mitigation programs. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
¶9. (SBU) President Kagame set the stage for Rwanda's 
proactive stance on combating climate change in his public 
statements at the UN in September.  Rwanda is not waiting for 
international assistance to begin to implement low carbon 
sustainable development.  Projects in renewable energy and 
reforestation are well advanced.  Rather, Rwanda seeks 
partners, both public and private, to help adapt its 
agriculture to climate change, invest in renewable energy, 
replant its forests and repair its environment.  Still among 
the poorest countries in the world, Rwanda would benefit from 
more flexible assistance programs and active private sector 
investment supported by OPIC, EXIM and USTDA (as in the case 
of Contour Global's methane and Eco-Fuel Global's biofuels). 
This could make the climate change challenge a win-win for 
Rwandan and American investors by encouraging more investment 
and mutually beneficial trade. END COMMENT. 
SYMINGTON