US embassy cable - 05PARIS5383

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 005383 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR G, OES, OES/GC, EUR, EUR/PPD, EUR/PRA, EUR/WE; 
WHITE HOUSE FOR CEQ (CONNAUGHTON); DOE FOR OFFICE OF 
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY (CLIMATE CHANGE TECHNOLOGY 
PROGRAM); DOT AND EPA FOR INTL AFFAIRS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG, SENV, KPAO, TRGY, FR 
SUBJECT: FRANCE TAKES NOTE OF ASIA-PACIFIC CLEAN 
DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP: MAINTAINING MOMENTUM 
 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary: Deputy Secretary Zoellick's announcement 
of the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development caught 
France's attention, and helped sustain a slight but 
perceptible moderation in French criticism of the U.S. 
climate change position.  Some of the economic press has 
reported on the benefits and logic of the new technologies in 
finding a solution to this global problem.  Unfortunately, 
general public opinion, as indicated in recent mainstream 
papers, has not softened, and the U.S. non-accession to the 
Kyoto Protocal remains one of our most difficult public 
diplomacy and scientific challenges here.  However, with at 
least a 'foot in the door' on this issue, post has stepped up 
its outreach on climate change policy, and we urge continued 
Washington help to address French skepticism. End Summary. 
 
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French Show Interest 
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2. (SBU) The Foreign Ministry Spokesman took a question on 
the Asia-Pacific Partnership and the Embassy,s EST Section 
exchanged comments with the French agency charged with 
inter-ministerial coordination of climate change about the 
Partnership.  The spokesman referred to the Partnership as 
"an interesting regional initiative that demonstrates growing 
global interest on the question of (climate) change."  A 
senior official in the inter-ministerial body charged with 
coordinating climate change told EST counselor that "the 
impression we get is that this new partnership is a valuable 
collaboration program on the full range of clean and low 
carbon technologies...that will aim to improve their 
diffusion and development."  This official also mentioned 
that the French approach to climate change similarly includes 
heavy doses of energy technology research.  Supporting this 
research, he noted French participation in U.S.-led 
technology partnerships, and gave as instances the 
International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy, GEN IV, 
and the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum.  French 
officials seek to learn more about the Asia-Pacific 
Partnership in the months ahead. 
 
3.  (SBU) Unfortunately, the French official response and the 
media at the same time dwelled on whether the U.S. had 
designed the Partnership to replace or complement the Kyoto 
Protocol, and in either case, remarked that the initiative 
does not address the urgency or immediacy of the issue.  The 
French highlighted their position that technological 
solutions alone (i.e., their view of the U.S. view) are 
insufficient to meet carbon emission reduction needs.  They 
say mandatory emissions controls remain necessary to force 
the marketplace to undertake meaningful, urgent change.  One 
liberal French daily noted in its commentary on the 
Partnership that the U.S., tired of being regarded as an 
eternal skeptic on the subject of climate change, has decided 
to take a more active stand in the field.  Regrettably, one 
of the Partnership's major features - the 'roping in' of two 
of the largest producers of greenhouse gases India and China 
into a scheme, even a voluntary one -- received scant 
treatment in either the official or media commentary. 
 
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Spreading the Word 
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4.  (SBU) The Embassy has intensified its efforts to blunt 
criticism of U.S. climate policies.  CEQ's Jim Connaughton, 
DOE's Bob Marlay and a number of other U.S. officials over 
the past year personally supported this campaign.  When U.S. 
climate officials visit Paris to participate in international 
events, the Embassy seeks their participation in press events 
or roundtables on U.S. climate policy. Embassy, Consulate and 
American Presence Post officers are also on the climate 
change march.  Ambassadorial Op-Ed pieces have received 
prominent placement, and Post will be placing a new OpEd on 
the Partnership.  We also urge continued or stepped up visits 
by U.S. officials in the coming months that will include a 
significant program of public affairs outreach.   We have 
invited Bob Marlay to return to Paris in early December to 
brief senior officials and influential opinion-makers on the 
U.S. Climate Technology Program at the annual Passages Forum, 
the would-be 'Davos' for sustainable development that this 
year will focus on energy and climate.  The Paris-based 
French-American Foundation/Comite Francais has proposed a 
yearlong series of seminars on Global Warming and Energy 
starting in the fall, which the Mission will support with a 
Public Diplomacy grant.  U.S. speakers will be welcomed to 
participate on a variety of policy and technical topics. 
Another event, the Michelin Bibendum Challenge (an exposition 
and symposium on the latest automobile technologies that not 
only improve road safety but also protect the environment) 
will be held in Paris in June 2006.  These are but a few of 
the many international events at which the U.S. can advance 
understanding of its climate policies. 
 
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Messages that Work; Messages that Don,t 
--------------------------------------- 
 
5.    (SBU) In France, aside from a handful of government 
officials and researchers, there remains a fundamental lack 
of understanding of the U.S. perspective on climate change. 
While thanks in large part to the publicity associated with 
the G-8 many in France understand that the U.S. acknowledges 
anthropogenic effects on the climate, the French do not 
believe the U.S. Government considers the climate "urgent" or 
"a priority."  Despite Embassy efforts, many French continue, 
however, to think that the U.S. remains "out-of-step" with 
the rest of the world on climate questions.  As the U.S. is 
perceived as a wealthy society, U.S. arguments that 
implementing Kyoto would negatively affect our economy fall 
on deaf ears.  In fact, we,re seen as concerned only about 
our bottom line, not the global problem of climate change. 
(In France, the  logic, used to explain U.S. non-acceptance 
of Kyoto is often given as economic greed and environmental 
irresponsibility.) 
 
6. (SBU) Emphasis on and more detailed examples of climate 
friendly work we are doing and accomplishing now, such as 
those outlined by Connaughton during his recent DVC with 
posts, are useful for the Embassy to bring to the attention 
of the French public.  Pictures of actual transformational 
energy projects (such as 'FutureGen' or 'FreedomCar')with 
accompanying text would be helpful for placement and use in 
presentations.  The picture of the President inaugurating the 
hydrogen gas station in Washington last year is a 
particularly potent image.  Similarly, illustrations of 
examples of the many areas where the U.S. is succeeding in 
cutting back emissions would graphically demonstrate our 
successes.  As we understand that the U.S. maintains certain 
mandatory controls on emissions in certain industrial 
sectors, we believe elaboration of these would prove 
informative to the French public.  As regards the new 
Asia-Pacific Partnership, we should focus attention on the 
fact that it brings in the two largest GHG emitters in the 
developing world without whose cooperation no climate 
strategy will be effective.  We should keep interest in the 
Partnership alive by publicizing its milestones. 
 
7.  (SBU) COMMENT: The stereotype image of the U.S. has 
become that we are "the great polluter."  This image can be 
changed and is in fact changing.  We think French officials 
and media will continue to be receptive to U.S. presentations 
and information on U.S. climate policies and efforts to 
develop transformational energy technologies.  Efforts to 
'publicize' U.S. policies before, during, and after the G-8 
were welcomed, if not published immediately.  Last week's 
announcement of the Asia-Pacific Partnership took French 
officials and the media by surprise, but they certainly took 
note of it.  We think we are on the right track and seek 
Washington's continued assistance in the follow-through.  We 
especially welcome U.S. policymakers (Dobriansky, 
Connaughton, Watson, Marlay, et alia) to help us press home 
our brief. End Comment. 
STAPLETON