US embassy cable - 04MADRID1743

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MADRID 001743 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR OES/EGC AND EB/TPP/ABT/BTT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV, TBIO, PINR, SP 
SUBJECT: NEW SPANISH ENVIRONMENT OFFICIAL ON BIOTECH AND 
CLIMATE CHANGE 
 
 
1. We met May 12 with the new Environment Ministry Secretary 
General for Pollution Prevention and Climate Change, Arturo 
Gonzalo Aizpiri.  Our discussions focused on two of Gonzalo's 
key responsibilities: biotech and climate change. 
 
Biotech 
 
2. We emphasized to Gonzalo the USG's interest in the 
agricultural biotech issue - one we had discussed frequently 
with his predecessors.  Gonzalo listened, but admitted that 
he is not yet read in on the issue.  We mentioned Spain's 
recent change of vote in the Agriculture Council on GM sweet 
corn (BT-11) approval, (Spain went from "yes" to abstention, 
despite technical level recommendation for a positive vote) 
and told him we were unsure if the change represented a 
change in policy or merely reflected an initially cautious 
position from a new Administration.  Gonzalo characterized 
the vote as "provisional" and confirmed that there is a need 
for further interministerial discussion on biotech policy. 
 
Climate Change 
 
3. Gonzalo was clearly much more up to speed on the climate 
change issue (see bio note para 7).  We asked him about two 
pending plans: the National Emissions Allocation Plan, which 
was due to the European Commission by March 31, and the 
long-delayed Spanish National Climate Change Plan. 
 
4. Regarding the National Emissions Allocation Plan, Gonzalo 
said that while the previous Administration had gathered 
copious information from affected industries, it had taken a 
"political decision" not to finalize the plan before the 
March 31 deadline.  The new government will build on the 
existing draft to finalize the product.  Gonzalo explained 
that under the new Administration, Second Vice President and 
Minister of Economy Solbes is in charge of implementing the 
Allocation Plan, but the Environment Ministry is responsible 
for transmitting the plan to the Commission and managing the 
process of transposing the EU emissions trading directive 
into national law.  For that reason, Gonzalo and the 
Secretary General for Energy are co-Secretaries of an 
 
SIPDIS 
interministerial climate change working group led by the 
State Secretary for Economy.  When asked about the timeline 
for completing the plan, Gonzalo referred to the October 1 
date by which the Commission needs to have approved the plan 
and the specific allocations to each company must be 
determined.  Since the Commission needs three months to 
review the plan, the GOS should ideally have it ready by July 
1.  That will be difficult, Gonzalo said, and he speculated 
that the GOS will be doing well if it finishes the plan 
sometime in July.  The GOS also intends to complete in July 
the transfer of the EU emissions trading rules into national 
legislation. 
 
5. On the National Climate Change Plan, Gonzalo clarified 
that while the National Climate Council, whose members 
represent NGOs, national, regional and local governments, 
industry associations, unions and scientists, had approved 
the previous Administration's draft plan in February 2004, 
the Plan was never formally adopted by the Spanish 
Ministerial Council.  The current Administration will use the 
existing draft and add elements the Socialist Party, while in 
opposition, thought were glaringly absent - specifically 
concrete actions, timetables, sources of financing and clear 
designation of responsibilities. 
 
6. While the previous Administration was clearly concerned 
that its obligation under the Kyoto Protocol to limit 
emissions increases to 15% over 1990 levels would be 
extraordinarily expensive (Price Waterhouse Coopers estimated 
19 billion Euros - $22.6 billion - between 2008-2012) and 
threaten Spanish competitiveness, the Socialist government 
has stated repeatedly its commitment to Kyoto. 
Interestingly, when asked if he thought there was a chance 
Spain could meet its emissions reduction commitment, Gonzalo 
limited himself to saying that Spain will do all that is 
"reasonably possible" to meet its goal.  This tracks with the 
GOS decision to put Solbes at the head of the National 
Emissions Allocation Plan discussions, indicating that the 
Socialist government will be attuned to implications for the 
Spanish economy.  Gonzalo was critical of the previous 
Administration's "lackluster" efforts to reduce energy 
consumption, saying that the 5% annual increase in energy 
demand to support a GDP growth rate of just under 3% was 
unsustainable.  The Zapatero government will act to improve 
energy efficiency, he said. 
 
Bio Note 
 
7. Gonzalo came across as professional and very willing to 
engage with us.  His proficiency in climate change and energy 
issues stems from his former position as Subdirector for 
Climate Change and Environmental Planning for Spanish oil 
company Repsol YPF.  In that position, he interacted with 
ARPEL, a Latin American energy industry association, and with 
some American industry groups dealing with the climate change 
issue.  He also previously served as director of the Madrid 
regional government's environmental agency and as Director 
General for Environmental Policy in the former Socialist 
government from 1993-96. 
MANZANARES