INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Chile: Science, Technology and Environmental Update

Published: Fri 25 Aug 2006 07:58 PM
VZCZCXYZ0017
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHSG #1835 2371958
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 251958Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9872
INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 3260
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES PRIORITY 3158
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 1048
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ AUG 4736
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 4661
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 0345
RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO PRIORITY 0586
UNCLAS SANTIAGO 001835
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
OES FOR LARRY SPERLING, GRIFF THOMPSON AND TAMARA SCOTT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV EAGR TSPL KGLB CI
SUBJECT: CHILE: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL UPDATE
REF: SANTIAGO 1424
1. The U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement includes a chapter on
environmental cooperation. The original eight bilateral
projects listed in the FTA have been implemented as of
mid-2006. The U.S. and Chile have agreed to extend their
formal science and technology cooperation to at least 2011.
They will hold an Environmental Cooperation Commission
Conference from October 23-24 to lay the groundwork for
future environmental projects.
2. The following list is an update of U.S.-Chile
environmental cooperation over the last six months:
--S Agreement Renewal: The U.S. and Chile extended their
Basic Agreement Relating to Scientific and Technological
Cooperation to June 30, 2011.
--GLOBE (Environmental Cooperation Agreement project): Chile
received a USD 25,000 grant to train teachers August 7-11 on
data collection.
--Training for Sustainable Ecotourism in Chile's National
Parks: The U.S. and Chile along with the NGO Fundacion
Patagonia are collaborating on sustainable ecotourism
projects in Chile's national parks. The first part of this
project was a workshop in Concepcion April 5-7. The second
part of this project was a study tour for 10 Chilean national
park rangers to visit U.S. national forests and parks.
--Workshop on Public Participation in Environmental
Decision-making: State is working with the EPA and Chilean
authorities to develop a workshop on public participation in
environmental decision-making. The workshop is scheduled to
take place in Santiago in September and will focus on urban
air quality.
--Forest Transparency Conference: State's ESTH Hub office in
Brasilia, together with the US Forest Service and USAID, will
host an international forest transparency conference in Lima
beginning September 18. The conference will bring together
policymakers, producers, importers in the US, and civil
society to look at a tools-based approach for dealing with
forestry practices in the Amazon Basin. State intends to
sponsor a Chilean official to speak on the role the
U.S.-Chile FTA played in addressing forestry sector issues.
KELLY
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