US embassy cable - 05GENEVA1780

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GENEVA 001780 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR OES FOR H.WATSON 
STATE FOR OES/EGC FOR D.REIFSNYDER AND STAFF 
STATE FOR IO/T FOR G.ROBTERS 
COMMERCE PASS NOAA FOR DUS J.KELLY, R.MASTERS, W.BOLHOFER 
USEU AND USUN FOR EST OFFICERS 
NAIROBI FOR USUNEP FOR K.LEVINE 
BERLIN FOR ECON FOR M.GOWER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV, TSPL, TPHY, WMO 
SUBJECT: 3RD WORLD CLIMATE CONFERENCE: DECISION ON HOLDING 
CONFERENCE POSTPONED FOR ANOTHER YEAR 
 
REF: STATE 113139 
 
     GENEVA 1432 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR THE INTERNET - PLEASE 
PROTECT ACCORDINGLY 
 
1. (U) The World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) 
Executive Council requested at its 57th session (June 21- 
July 1) that the WMO Secretary-General form a provisional 
organizing committee to develop a meeting plan for a third 
World Climate Conference and submit that plan to the 
Executive Council for review and decision at its 58th 
session.  Planning will be based on the May 2005 WMO Ad Hoc 
Exploratory Committee on World Climate Conference 3 (WCC-3) 
recommendation that the conference's overarching theme 
should be scientific advances in seasonal to interannual and 
possibly decadal prediction. 
 
2. (U) Many Executive Council members advocated taking a 
decision about holding the conference during their 57th 
session.  However, the U.S., Canadian, and Australian 
Permanent Representatives resisted, citing the lack of a 
concrete plan and consultations with relevant international 
bodies and WMO member states.  In response, the Executive 
Council asked that those things be completed over the coming 
year, so that it would be in a position to take a decision 
at its 58th session in summer 2006. 
 
3. (SBU) COMMENT: From a U.S. perspective, the outcome was 
positive.  A final decision about holding the conference was 
postponed, the WMO recognized that the climate field is now 
crowded and that it cannot work in isolation, and the 
Executive Council expressed support for seasonal to 
internannual and possibly decadal prediction as the focus of 
such a conference.  Looking ahead, we should consider our 
engagement in the work of the provisional organizing 
committee.  Support in the Executive Council for holding a 
third World Climate Conference will remain strong. 
Therefore, it would be in our interest to participate in 
order to keep the planning efforts squarely focused on the 
topic of seasonal to internanual prediction.  END COMMENT. 
 
4. (U) Begin excerpt from the approved text for inclusion in 
the final report for the 57th session of the WMO Executive 
Council regarding a third World Climate Conference: 
 
3.2.1.10  The Council was informed that, following the 
request of the Fourteenth Congress, the Secretary General 
established an Ad Hoc Exploratory Committee on World Climate 
Conference 3 (WCC-3). This Committee met in Geneva in May 
2005 and produced a report on a possible WCC-3.   The 
Council welcomed with appreciation the report of the Ad Hoc 
Exploratory Committee and its recommendation that the WMO 
consider the development of a WCC-3 on the basis outlined in 
its report.  The report proposed scientific advances in 
seasonal to interannual and possibly decadal forecasting as 
an overarching theme for the Conference. 
 
3.2.1.11  Some voiced support for the proposed theme, citing 
the socioeconomic benefits to be gained and its relevance to 
policy makers.  Many voiced their support for the idea of 
WMO organizing such a Conference and establishing an 
organizing committee to coordinate relevant matters with UN 
agencies and other international entities at different 
levels and facilitate their participation as well as 
financial contribution in the conference.  However, a number 
were not ready to decide on holding a WCC-3, because the 
scope, outcomes and resources for it warranted further 
clarification and elaboration, and relevant international 
organizations had not been consulted. 
 
3.2.1.12  The Council agreed on the importance of 
communicating widely on the scientific advances in seasonal 
to interannual and possibly decadal forecasting through a 
World Climate Conference, and decided: 
 
-- To request the Secretary-General to establish a 
provisional organizing committee to develop a meeting plan 
for WCC-3, working on the basis of the recommendation of the 
Ad Hoc Exploratory Committee on WCC-3, to develop proposals 
on the scope, science programme, content of high-level 
segment, timing and budget of WCC-3; 
-- To request the Secretary-General to consult with relevant 
international bodies including FAO, IPCC, UNDP, UNEP, 
UNESCO, UNFCCC and WHO in developing proposals and potential 
partnership in WCC-3; 
 
-- To request the Secretary-General to conduct a round of 
consultation with the Members regarding the meeting plan for 
WCC-3; 
 
-- To request the Secretary-General to submit the costed 
meeting plan developed by the provisional organising 
committee to EC-LVIII for review and decision. 
 
End text 
 
5. (U) Further reporting on the 57th session of the WMO 
Executive Council will follow SEPTEL.  The U.S. Permanent 
Representative to WMO --Brigadier General John J. Kelly, 
Jr., USAF Retired -- and his U.S.-based advisors did not 
have a chance to clear this cable before their departure 
from Geneva. 
 
MOLEY