Cablegate: Finland to Join Methane to Markets Partnership

VZCZCXRO5509
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBW RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHHM RUEHIK RUEHKW
RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK
RUEHYG
DE RUEHHE #0231 1500418
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 290418Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHEPA/HQ EPA WASHDC
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4331
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS HELSINKI 000231

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE PASS FOR OES/EFENDLEY
WHITE HOUSE FOR CEQ/DBANKS
EPA FOR DKRUGER AND PGUNNING

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG TRGY SENV EAGR FI
SUBJECT: FINLAND TO JOIN METHANE TO MARKETS PARTNERSHIP

REF: A. 07 HELSINKI 00131 B. 07 HELSINKI 00173 C. 07 HELSINKI 00580
D. 07 HELSINKI 00751

1. (U) On May 15th Finland announced its intentions to join
the Methane to Markets Partnership (M2M), an international
initiative that advances cost-effective, near-term methane
recovery and use as a clean energy source. Finland will be
the 25th country to join this U.S.-led international
partnership. In its letter of interest to join, Ms. Elina
Kalkku, Director General from the Department for the Americas
and Asia in the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, said
Finland plans to actively participate in M2M,s Agriculture
and Landfills subcommittees. The Finnish Government sees
methane as a valuable source of energy and as a substitute
for fossil fuels in heat and energy production. The letter
also states that Finland views &international cooperation as
an important vehicle in developing new renewable and clean
forms of energy.8 Finland is already a world leader in
renewable energy production, with over one quarter of its
energy coming from renewable energy sources.

2. (SBU) Finland,s decision completes the circle on post,s
efforts to persuade Finland to join M2M following the
inaugural High Level Dialogue on Climate Change, Clean Energy
and Sustainable Development (HLD) during Finland,s EU
Presidency in fall 2006. The HLD Joint Press Release
specifically listed &enhance methane recovery including
through the Methane to Markets Partnership8 as one of the
meeting,s conclusions. Since the HLD, the European
Commission has also joined M2M.

3. (U) This announcement coincided with a visit by Dina
Kruger, Director of the Climate Change Division at the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency. During her visit, Mrs.
Kruger met with industry and government officials, including
Economic Minister Mauri Pekkarinen. Mrs. Kruger also
attended a UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) Working Group meeting in Helsinki on May 16th.

4. (U) Twenty-three times as effective at trapping heat in
the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, methane is a strong
greenhouse gas that accounts for 16 percent of global
greenhouse gas emissions. Since methane is a relatively
short lived greenhouse gas, experts believe reductions in
methane can produce quicker results than efforts focused on
carbon dioxide such as the Kyoto Protocol. Also, methane has
the dual benefit that it can be used as an effective source
for clean heat and energy production, as well as
transportation use.

5. (SBU) Comment: Given the importance of climate change
issues in the Nordic countries, Finland,s membership in M2M
could open the door for other Nordic countries to join this
initiative that promotes tangible actions for tackling
climate change. With close proximity to the Arctic, Finns
and others in Nordic countries are beginning to feel the
effects of climate change quicker than those in southern
areas. Coupling M2M efforts with the Arctic Council,s
climate mitigation objectives may prove especially effective
in mitigating methane emissions. End Comment.

BARRETT

© Scoop Media