Speaking on the fringes of a Friends of Europe debate, Stuart Eizenstat, who has served several political mandates under the Clinton and Carter administrations, is convinced that despite all the effort, it will be difficult for the US to implement swift carbon trade legislation and mandatory targets in time for the signature of a post-Kyoto deal in 2009.
"The new administration will bring a sea change," he told EurActiv. "President-elect Obama wants to transform the US economy and use the economic stimulus package to bring in green technologies, green infrastructure and create green jobs," he said. However, achieving a "final global agreement with every 'i' dotted and 't' crossed will be a tall order," Eizenstat added, suggesting that the UN climate conference in Copenhagen would represent an important step in the important process but not the end of the game.
Eizenstat, who has already earned a reputation as a "Washington wise man", is more likely to serve Obama as behind-the-scenes mentor. He stressed, however, that it was "absolutely important that in Copenhagen we set at the very least the framework for a final agreement, perhaps the next year in 2010".
According to Eizenstat, the framework will have to focus on commitments made by both developing and developed countries regarding offsets, carbon credits and technology transfer without compromising intellectual property protection. "On all these big issues, I think, we need to have basic answers to. Maybe we won't be able to fill in every number, but we need to have those concepts agreed upon. And I think that is realistic,” he added.
After his election, Obama has repeated he wants the US to "engage vigorously" in climate negotiations and as a signal sent Senator John Kerry as envoy to last week's UN climate conference in Poznań (Poland).
"Senator John Kerry said he thinks we can reach an international agreement, even before Congress acts. He said that in Poznań. That is one school of thought, but there are others in Congress who think otherwise," said Eizenstat.
Like Eizenstat, others in Washington insist the US is not in a position to make active commitments before March or April of next year, and anticipate that the new Obama administration is unlikely to focus on global climate change commitments before enacting domestic legislation. Reportedly, the incoming chairs of the Senate and House of Representatives' committees on energy and commerce respectively, Barbara Boxer and Henry Waxman, have announced their intention to push for legislation in early 2009.
"Things will change," said Eizenstat. "But it is unreasonable to expect it will come the day after Obama's inauguration," he concluded.
