Cablegate: Czech Republic: Reply to Demarche On Climate

VZCZCXRO4808
PP RUEHIK
DE RUEHPG #0033 0220739
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 220739Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2078
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS PRAGUE 000033

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV ENRG KGHG EZ
SUBJECT: CZECH REPUBLIC: REPLY TO DEMARCHE ON CLIMATE
CHANGE NEXT STEPS

REF: STATE 3080

1. (SBU) On January 20 Charge d'Affaires Thompson-Jones
delivered reftel demarche to Environment Minister Jan Dusik
and Environment Ministry Department of Multilateral Relations
Director Jiri Hlavacek. Dusik said the EU plans to associate
itself with the Copenhagen Accord and inscribe its targets
before the January 31 deadline. The Czech Republic does not
plan to make an individual submission, since the EU
submission will cover the EU and all of the member states.

2. (SBU) He said that COREPER is still discussing the levels
of commitment to appear in the submission, but the likely
outcome is a pledge to reduce carbon emissions 20 percent by
2020. This figure, however, could potentially increase to 30
percent if "the right deal is struck." He said that the EU
will next need to determine how to distribute the burden of
emissions cuts. Dusik also expressed disappointment that
December's Copenhagen summit did not result in binding
commitments, and hopes that a precedent of "power plays" and
voluntary pledges has not been set. He said a renewal of the
Kyoto Protocol would also be an unsatisfactory outcome.

3. (SBU) Dusik asked about the likely timeline for U.S.
Senate passage of climate change legislation. Charge assured
Dusik that this legislation is a major priority for both the
Obama administration and Congress. She also highlighted
domestic programs already working towards lower emissions,
including investment in renewable technologies and new home
appliance efficiency standards.

4. (SBU) After the meeting with Charge, Dusik led a
presentation by Ministry officials to non-EU Chiefs of
Missions. Dusik identified climate protection as a Ministry
priority, and said that the government is now finalizing its
policies on climate protection and energy.

5. (SBU) EconOff also delivered reftel demarche on January 19
to Environment Ministry Climate Change Department Director
Pavel Zamyslicky. Zamyslicky also spoke about the EU's
likely "20 by 2020" inscription, and stressed that the EU
will continue to work both inside the UN climate negotiations
framework and through other international platforms such as
the G20 to reach a binding climate agreement.

Thompson-Jones

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