US embassy cable - 05ROME2346

UNCLAS  ROME 002346 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR OES/EGC (WATSON, REIFSNYDER, WHITE) AND IO 
 
WHITE HOUSE FOR CEQ (CONNAUGHTON, PEEL, DIXON) 
 
NSC FOR HUTTO, STRONG, CADE, DUNCAN 
 
DOE FOR CONOVER, EULE, GARMAN, DOBRIANSKY, HARBERT 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: SENV, ENRG, ECON, IT, AORG, G-8 
SUBJECT:  G-8 BIOENERGY WORKSHOP, ROME, ITALY, JUNE 14-15, 
2005 
 
REF:(A) STATE 105899 (NOTAL), (B) ROME 01956 (NOTAL) 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED  NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION 
 
1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY:  On June 14-15, 2005, the government 
of Italy hosted a G-8 bioenergy workshop to identify 
opportunities and barriers to establishing a G-8-endorsed 
multilateral bioenergy initiative.  G-8 members plus 
Brazil, China, India, Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, 
FAO, IEA, UNCCD, UNEP, UNDP WCRE, and World Bank officials 
participated in the workshop.  The workshop was primarily 
devoted to exploring the state of bioenergy technologies, 
but participants also considered the costs and benefits of 
a new initiative.  The workshop ended without official 
conclusions or summary.  The GOI volunteered to circulate 
a bioenergy white paper in the near future.  END SUMMARY. 
 
G-8 BIOENERGY WORKSHOP 
---------------------- 
 
2. (U)  The GOI Ministry of Environment and Protection of 
the Territory hosted a G-8 bioenergy workshop in Rome on 
June 14-15, 2005.  The overall aim of the workshop was to 
"develop a common basis for a new partnership on 
bioenergy, new technology and research cooperation with 
the participation of governments, multilateral 
organizations, private sector, research institutions and 
NGOs."  The workshop co-chairs were Dr. Corrado Clini, 
Director General, Italian Ministry for Environment, and 
Mr. Giuliano Grassi, Secretary General, European Biomass 
Industry Association.  The workshop attracted 
approximately 80 public and private sector participants 
from G-8 countries plus Brazil, China, India, Mexico, 
South Korea, South Africa, FAO, IEA, UNCCD, UNEP, UNDP 
WCRE, and the World Bank.  The U.S. delegation to the 
workshop included Dr. Robert Dixon; CEQ, Mr. Steven Eule, 
DOE; and Mr. William Hohenstein, USDA.  Embassy Rome 
officers supported the U.S. delegation. 
 
3. (U) The workshop was organized into four panel sessions 
including:  (1) biomass for the development and deployment 
of heat and electricity, (2) biomass for the development 
and deployment of biofuels, (3) biomass for the 
development and deployment of hydrogen, and (4) 
stimulating tools towards the development and deployment 
of bioenergy.  Dr. Dixon of the U.S. was the keynote 
speaker and chairman of panel 3.  Other panel leaders 
included Bjorn Telenius of the IEA, Andrew Yeager of UNDP, 
and Todd Johnson of the World Bank.  Each panel session 
explored and summarized the state of bioenergy 
technologies.  Some speakers also addressed barriers and 
opportunities for bioenergy deployment, including 
policies, finance, incentives and related topics.  The GOI 
was the workshop secretariat and promised to circulate the 
panel presentations and unofficial summaries of the 
discussion. 
 
 
GAPS IN GLOBALIZATION OF BIOENERGY - NEED FOR DEVELOPING 
COUNTRY PARTICIPATION 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
4. (SBU) The workshop concluded with closing remarks from 
Italy's Clini and Mr. Jeremy Eppels of the United Kingdom 
Department for Environment, Food and Rural affairs 
(DEFRA).  Clini's remarks shed some light on the possible 
direction of the Italian government in proposing a 
partnership.  He stressed that there are gaps in the 
globalization of bioenergy.  There is a need for more 
support for tools for global transfer and deployment of 
technologies and more coordination in policy development. 
The partnership will need the participation of developing 
countries where biomass energy is prevalent.  Areas of 
emphasis could include regulatory and financial frameworks 
and standards and certification frameworks.  Currently no 
single organization or activity is global and holistic and 
addressing needs of developing countries.  To be 
effective, the new partnership should utilize existing 
infrastructures, and needs to account for the roles of 
IEA, FAO, UNDP and others.  In conclusion, Clini proposed 
that the Italian government develop a white paper to 
identify gaps and address them, taking advantage of 
existing international efforts.  He stated that his staff 
would work in the next days and weeks to circulate the 
white paper. 
 
5.  (SBU)  Mr. Eppels of the UK's DEFRA was generally 
supportive of the Italian position articulated by Clini. 
He noted that there was a need for continued collaboration 
and dialogue and that the UK sees potential value, 
provided the dialogue maintains high level and strategic 
value and does not get too far down into the technical 
issues, which are being addressed by mechanisms which are 
already in place.  Mr. Henry Derwent of UK's DEFRA 
intervened to comment on the G-8 process.  Derwent noted 
that the G-8 is a consensus process, and that there is no 
ongoing work program under the G-8, nor a standing 
secretariat.  He also noted that international 
 
SIPDIS 
partnerships are not dependent on the G-8 to initiate. 
Dr. Dixon of the U.S. stated, in response to the Clini, 
Eppels and Derwent interventions that the U.S. looks 
forward to receiving and reviewing the white paper.  Dixon 
recognized the diverse interests represented at the 
workshop, noted it was a good start, and looked forward to 
more dialogue. 
 
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY 
---------------- 
 
6. (U) The U.S. delegation distributed pamphlets, 
brochures and other materials describing U.S. public and 
private sector bioenergy programs and activities.  It was 
obvious that this information was an epiphany to many 
workshop participants, as they eagerly collected the 
publications.  Participants also praised the panel 
presentation by Dr. Dixon, who distributed electronic 
copies.  The workshop did receive some local press 
coverage, but the U.S. delegation did not participate in 
this activity. 
 
7. (U) This message has been cleared by Dr. Dixon. 
SEMBLER 
 
 
NNNN 
	2005ROME02346 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED