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RR RUEHCN RUEHGH
DE RUEHGZ #0023/01 0140737
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 140737Z JAN 10
FM AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1292
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE 0432
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1049
RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 0358
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 0359
RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 0368
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 0029
RHMFISS/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC 0055
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC 0234
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC 0402
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC 0398
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GUANGZHOU 000023 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/CM, OES, AND EEB 
STATE PASS EPA 
BEIJING FOR ESTH AND ENERGY REPS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV ENRG PGOV PREL CH HK
SUBJECT: Climate Change Network Fills Void in South China 
 
REF: A) 09 GUANGZHOU 17; B) 09 GUANGZHOU 678 
 
GUANGZHOU 00000023  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary and Comment:  Wasting no time -- government, 
business, and NGO leaders gathered in Guangzhou to celebrate the 
launch of the South China Climate Change Network (SCCCN) on the 
first workday following the conclusion of the COP-15 Climate Change 
Conference.   Inspired by a British Consulate initiative, SCCCN will 
be run out of the Guangdong Institute for Energy Conversion (GIEC), 
a research institute closely affiliated with the provincial 
government.  With the primary objectives of increasing climate 
change awareness and promoting low-carbon development in south 
China, the network aims to fulfill several functions, from operating 
as an online "information bridge" for publicizing research and 
exchanging best practices to serving as a policy think tank capable 
of lobbying local government.  Although it is not yet clear how much 
support the network will receive from government officials, the 
SCCCN has the potential to fill a "coordination void" among NGOs and 
academics in south China and offers post an important tool for 
scaling up outreach on climate change and clean energy.  End Summary 
and Comment. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
RAISING AWARENESS AND PROMOTING LOW-CARBON GROWTH 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶2. (U) Aware of the challenges Guangdong's manufacturing and 
export-based economy poses in terms of rising pollution and growing 
carbon emissions, the SCCCN was launched December 21 with the 
primary objectives of increasing climate change awareness and 
promoting the transition to a low-carbon economic development model 
in south China.  Defining itself as an "informal, not-for-profit 
network for individuals and organizations with an interest in 
climate change and clean energy," the SCCCN places no restrictions 
on its membership, which is offered at no cost.  The network's 
target audience consists of renewable energy and energy efficiency 
companies, academic researchers, non-governmental organizations 
(NGOs), media, policy think tanks and government officials. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) One mechanism SCCCN intends to use to connect key 
stakeholders is to create an online "information bridge," which can 
be used by academics to publicize research findings and by NGOs and 
businesses to exchange best practices.  The SCCCN also plans to 
distribute via its website a monthly newsletter on climate change 
and low-carbon issues.  At the network's launch ceremony, 
representatives of SCCCN's host organization, GIEC, also discussed 
the network's intention to serve as a policy think tank with the 
ability to influence local policymakers on behalf of its members. 
(Comment: The close affiliation of SCCCN's implementing organization 
with the provincial government -- GIEC is the provincial 
government's energy strategy research center -- may help facilitate 
the network's efforts to shape policy decisions related to climate 
change and clean energy. End Comment.) 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
NORWEGIAN, AUSTRALIAN CONSULATES ALSO ON BOARD 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶4. (SBU) The SCCCN grew out of a forum organized by the British 
Consulate in April 2009 to gauge public interest in creation of a 
climate change network.  Based on a favorable response to the 
concept, the British supported GIEC in the organization of SCCCN. 
Representatives from the Norwegian and Australian Consulates have 
also expressed keen interest in the network and were present at the 
launch ceremony.  During opening remarks, a representative from the 
Norwegian Consulate highlighted the timeliness and relevance of the 
network's launch, adding that the SCCCN would play a key role in 
raising public awareness and providing a platform for accelerating 
positive trends in low-carbon development in south China.  Likewise, 
while noting the high priority her government places on supporting 
China's efforts to combat climate change, an Australian consular 
official applauded the launch of the SCCCN as an opportunity to 
exchange best practices on carbon capture and storage (CCS), carbon 
management, and other low-carbon technologies. 
 
------------------------------------- 
NETWORK FILLS NGO "COORDINATION VOID" 
 
GUANGZHOU 00000023  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) The uncertain legal status of many NGOs in south China and 
government suspicion of these organizations discourages coordination 
of NGO activities (ref A and B), especially those designed to 
influence policymakers.  In this context, the SCCCN has the 
potential to fill a "coordination void" by facilitating the exchange 
of best practices between NGOs and by providing a forum for NGO 
representatives to interact with each other and with government 
officials, academics, and business representatives.  Although it is 
not yet clear how much active support the SCCCN will receive from 
local government, remarks made at the launch ceremony by Wu Hong, a 
mid-level official from the Guangzhou Development and Reform 
Commission (DRC), who referred to SCCCN as a "timely and relevant" 
initiative, seem to indicate a degree of government openness to 
engagement with the network. 
 
------------------------------ 
OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND OUTREACH 
------------------------------ 
 
¶6. (SBU) Comment:  At a recent follow-up meeting with SCCCN 
organizers, GIEC Energy Strategy Research Center Director Zhao 
Daiqing told ESTHOff that she hoped engagement through the SCCCN 
would lay the foundation for a long-term cooperation mechanism 
between GIEC and U.S. partners, including the Consulate, U.S.-based 
research institutions and other USG agencies.  During a side 
conversation after the meeting, a top SCCCN organizer invited 
ESTHOff to sit on the steering committee of the network and provide 
input on meeting and conference planning.  While the Consulate plans 
to limit its participation in the network primarily to an observer 
role, the option of publicizing Consulate events on the SCCCN 
website and the opportunity SCCCN provides for engagement on a 
regular basis with NGOs, academics, business, government and other 
consulates should facilitate Post's efforts to strengthen 
cooperation and boost outreach related to climate change and clean 
energy in south China.  End Comment. 
 
JACOBSEN