VZCZCXRO2590
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHLG #0126/01 0431433
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 121432Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0074
INFO AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LILONGWE 000126 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV ENRG KGHG MI
SUBJECT: MALAWI ASSOCIATES WITH COPENHAGEN ACCORD, DISCUSSES CLIMATE 
CHANGE PRIORITIES 
 
REF: 10 STATE 3079 
 
Summary 
 
 
 
¶1.       Malawi has formally associated with the Copenhagen Accord, 
while at the same time raising several issues it would like to see 
addressed before the next Conference of the Parties in Mexico (COP 
16).  These issues include the target limit for global temperature 
increase, reporting requirements,funding, and timelines for the 
establishment of international structures.  As newly elected AU 
Chairman, President Mutharika can be expected to play a prominent 
role within Africa on climate issues, although he will likely defer 
to Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles in global negotiations.  Malawi 
recognizes the importance of climate change and environmental 
management, which are addressed as priority issues in its principle 
development planning strategy.  End summary. 
 
 
 
Malawi Associates with the Copenhagen Accord 
 
 
 
¶2.       Post delivered reftel demarche by letter to Minister of 
Foreign Affairs Etta Banda and to to the Principal Secretary for 
the Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Environment.  On 
February 11, Emboffs met with Ministry of Development Planning and 
Cooperation (DPC) Principal Secretary Ted Sitima-Wina, who told us 
that Malawi had formally associated with the Copenhagen Accord on 
January 27. 
 
 
 
¶3.       In its notification to the UNFCCC Secretariat, Malawi 
noted the following four issues that it desired to have resolved 
before COP 16: 
 
 
 
¶A.      Where the Copenhagen Accord in paragraphs 1 and 2 calls for 
limiting the global rise in temperature to "below 2 degrees 
Celsius," Malawi maintains that the limit should be held to 1.5 
degrees Celsius. 
 
¶B.      Regarding paragraph 5 on Reporting of Mitigation Actions, 
Malawi believes that 2 years is not practically feasible for 
developing countries to submit mitigation actions.  Malawi also 
requests that Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) be 
required or reported in National Communications and not in a 
registry. 
 
¶C.      Regarding paragraphs 7 and 8 on funding, Malawi believes 
that public financing should be the major source of funding, with 
the private sector and markets providing supplementary support. 
Malawi states that based on current scientific estimates, USD 100 
billion is not adequate for climate change actions.  Malawi calls 
for future financing to be massively scaled up to an equivalent of 
1.5% of GDP of developed country parties, in addition to the 
existing Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) target.  Malawi asks 
for agreement that this commitment by developed country Parties 
should be both individual and collective. 
 
¶D.      Regarding paragraphs 9 and 10 on High Level Panel and the 
Green Climate Fund, Malawi asks that a timeline for the 
establishment of the panel be put in place before COP 16.  Malawi 
also asks that the institutional  arrangements for the Copenhagen 
Green Climate Fund be specified before COP 16. 
 
 
 
¶4.       Malawi's notification concluded that climate change is one 
of the greatest challenges of our time, and Malawi calls upon the 
COP to translate the Accord into legally binding decisions. 
 
 
 
Malawi and Climate Change in the African Union 
 
 
 
¶5.       With President Mutharika's recent election as Chairman of 
the African Union, Sitima-Wina said that he expected Mutharika to 
play a leading role within the organization on climate change, 
while acknowledging that Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia 
will continue to lead the continent's participation in 
international negotiations. 
 
LILONGWE 00000126  002 OF 002 
 
 
Climate Change and Domestic Development 
 
 
 
¶6.       Sitima-Wina told us that in order to address the 
cross-cutting issues of climate change, the GOM has established an 
inter-ministerial task force, chaired and coordinated by the DPC. 
He noted that climate change is of great importance to Malawi, and 
that Environmental Management is identified in the Malawi Growth 
and Development Strategy as a key priority.  The GOM currently has 
two projects underway supported by the United Nations Development 
Program (UNDP).  The Poverty and Environmental Initiative, 
involving several government ministries, will design 
environmentally sustainable development programs.  The National 
Program on Climate Change will provide scientific studies that can 
form the basis for designing specific interventions.  Sitima-Wina 
confided however that climate change considerations were not yet 
being routinely integrated into development planning. 
 
 
 
Comment 
 
 
 
¶7.       With a predominantly agricultural economy, and  an 
overwhelmingly rural, high density population, Malawi could be 
significantly impacted by climate change.  The Mutharika 
administration is acutely aware of the close linkage between 
climate change and food security.  Nevertheless, while the GOM will 
remain engaged on these issues, capacity constraints will limit the 
government's ability to follow through on initiatives and 
opportunities. 
BODDE