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At Paris Climate Talks, Top French Envoy Tries to Avoid Mistakes of Past Hosts At Paris Climate Talks, Top French Envoy Tries to Avoid Mistakes of Past Hosts
(34 minutes later)
LE BOURGET, France — As Laurence Tubiana, France’s top climate change envoy, prepared for her government to host the high-stakes summit meeting now unfolding just outside Paris, she thought at length about lighting design.LE BOURGET, France — As Laurence Tubiana, France’s top climate change envoy, prepared for her government to host the high-stakes summit meeting now unfolding just outside Paris, she thought at length about lighting design.
“The lighting must be soft, it must make people feel comfortable,” she said in an interview before the meeting. Sure enough, each work space at the gathering — which is taking place in a complex of temporarily converted airplane hangars and tents — is illuminated by a gracefully curved table lamp, casting a gentle glow.“The lighting must be soft, it must make people feel comfortable,” she said in an interview before the meeting. Sure enough, each work space at the gathering — which is taking place in a complex of temporarily converted airplane hangars and tents — is illuminated by a gracefully curved table lamp, casting a gentle glow.
Ms. Tubiana also thought about food. Typically the fare at such conferences ranges from forgettable to demoralizing. Ms. Tubiana wanted cuisine that would facilitate diplomatic breakthroughs. At the French climate conference, negotiators from the United States, China, Russia and India are dining together over duck confit, boeuf bourguignon and French wines.Ms. Tubiana also thought about food. Typically the fare at such conferences ranges from forgettable to demoralizing. Ms. Tubiana wanted cuisine that would facilitate diplomatic breakthroughs. At the French climate conference, negotiators from the United States, China, Russia and India are dining together over duck confit, boeuf bourguignon and French wines.
Ms. Tubiana’s attention to such details comes on top of 18 months of near-constant world travel and hundreds of hours of official meetings, as she has sought to build behind-the-scenes support for what the French government hopes will be a historic new global accord to curb climate change.Ms. Tubiana’s attention to such details comes on top of 18 months of near-constant world travel and hundreds of hours of official meetings, as she has sought to build behind-the-scenes support for what the French government hopes will be a historic new global accord to curb climate change.
Ultimately, the negotiations here, which are scheduled to conclude Friday, will succeed or fail on the substance of the agreement among 195 countries and the European Union. But it is widely acknowledged that the host government plays a crucial role in the outcome.Ultimately, the negotiations here, which are scheduled to conclude Friday, will succeed or fail on the substance of the agreement among 195 countries and the European Union. But it is widely acknowledged that the host government plays a crucial role in the outcome.
As France’s climate change ambassador to the United Nations, it is Ms. Tubiana’s charge to structure the process of the talks, and to act as a go-between, mediator and broker of deals. A successful deal could commit nearly every country on earth to enacting plans to cut its planet-warming greenhouse gas pollution, and could trigger a fundamental shift from fossil fuels to clean energy sources throughout the global economy. As France’s climate change ambassador to the United Nations, it is Ms. Tubiana’s charge to structure the talks, and to act as a go-between, mediator and broker of deals. A successful deal could commit nearly every country on earth to enacting plans to cut its planet-warming greenhouse gas pollution, and could trigger a fundamental shift from fossil fuels to clean energy sources throughout the global economy.
Privately, Ms. Tubiana has told colleagues that she feels as if she is holding the weight of the entire negotiations on her shoulders.Privately, Ms. Tubiana has told colleagues that she feels as if she is holding the weight of the entire negotiations on her shoulders.
She knows what failure looks like. The Paris talks are essentially a do-over of a much-hyped 2009 summit meeting in Copenhagen, where world leaders personally attempted to hammer out a similar treaty. But the meeting collapsed in acrimony as countries failed to reach a deal with any legal force. She knows what failure looks like. The Paris talks are essentially a do-over of a much-hyped 2009 summit meeting in Copenhagen, where world leaders personally tried to hammer out a similar treaty. But the meeting collapsed in acrimony as countries failed to reach a deal with any legal force.
While multiple factors contributed to the Copenhagen meltdown, many participants said part of the blame went to the Danish government. The Danish hosts have been excoriated as rigid, secretive and uncreative in running the talks. The hourslong security lines, bad convention center food and mood of confrontational brinkmanship did not help facilitate deal-making. Indeed, at least two major academic papers have concluded that poor diplomacy by the Danes was a major contributor to the failure of the Copenhagen talks. While multiple factors contributed to the Copenhagen meltdown, many participants said part of the blame went to the Danish government. The Danish hosts were excoriated as rigid, secretive and uncreative in running the talks. The hourslong security lines, bad convention center food and mood of confrontational brinkmanship did not help deal-making. Indeed, at least two major academic papers have concluded that poor diplomacy by the Danes was a major contributor to the failure of the Copenhagen talks.
Ms. Tubiana says she wants to avoid what she calls a Copenhagen-style “psychodrama” in Paris. To do that, she has deployed every tool available to a French diplomat, including a nearly unparalleled global network of embassies and consulates, her longstanding personal friendships in government and academia and the lure of French food and wine.Ms. Tubiana says she wants to avoid what she calls a Copenhagen-style “psychodrama” in Paris. To do that, she has deployed every tool available to a French diplomat, including a nearly unparalleled global network of embassies and consulates, her longstanding personal friendships in government and academia and the lure of French food and wine.
In many ways, Ms. Tubiana, 64, is a classic Parisienne intellectual. A political scientist who has taught for years at the prestigious French university Sciences Po in Paris, and at Columbia University in New York, her academic background spans economics, environmental policy and international development. She has worked on government, financial and academic boards in places like India and China and at institutions like the World Bank.In many ways, Ms. Tubiana, 64, is a classic Parisienne intellectual. A political scientist who has taught for years at the prestigious French university Sciences Po in Paris, and at Columbia University in New York, her academic background spans economics, environmental policy and international development. She has worked on government, financial and academic boards in places like India and China and at institutions like the World Bank.
But her personal background informs her diplomacy on climate change, for which perhaps the toughest question is how to bridge the gap between the developed and the developing worlds. Born in Algeria to a Jewish Berber father and a Catholic Greek-French mother, Ms. Tubiana moved with her family to France when she was 11.But her personal background informs her diplomacy on climate change, for which perhaps the toughest question is how to bridge the gap between the developed and the developing worlds. Born in Algeria to a Jewish Berber father and a Catholic Greek-French mother, Ms. Tubiana moved with her family to France when she was 11.
“I grew up with a very international background,” she said in an interview during the United Nations General Assembly in New York in October. “ Not being from one sector of society gives me perspective. I feel a link to developing nations, to all sides of this debate.”“I grew up with a very international background,” she said in an interview during the United Nations General Assembly in New York in October. “ Not being from one sector of society gives me perspective. I feel a link to developing nations, to all sides of this debate.”
In person, Ms. Tubiana is chic and charming, with a touch of bohemian to her personal style, which runs from perfectly cut diplomats’ suits to designer jeans, high-heeled blue suede boots and chunky silver necklaces collected from her travels to places like North Africa and New Delhi.In person, Ms. Tubiana is chic and charming, with a touch of bohemian to her personal style, which runs from perfectly cut diplomats’ suits to designer jeans, high-heeled blue suede boots and chunky silver necklaces collected from her travels to places like North Africa and New Delhi.
Ms. Tubiana was appointed her government’s senior climate envoy in 2014 by the French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, who is serving as the president of the conference, with the directive to do everything necessary to yield a successful outcome here. She sought to engage other countries on the talks early and often, and reached out to her international network of academics, many of whom are influential in shaping their governments’ positions in the talks.Ms. Tubiana was appointed her government’s senior climate envoy in 2014 by the French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, who is serving as the president of the conference, with the directive to do everything necessary to yield a successful outcome here. She sought to engage other countries on the talks early and often, and reached out to her international network of academics, many of whom are influential in shaping their governments’ positions in the talks.
And she deployed a powerful diplomatic tool: the legion of elegant French embassies around the world, an institution whose origins go back to the days when France was one of the most powerful forces in international relations. She had the embassies hold regular dinners and salons with key players in each country — lawmakers, but also business leaders, journalists and even opponents of climate policy. And she deployed a powerful diplomatic tool: the legion of elegant French embassies around the world, whose origins go back to the days when France was one of the most powerful forces in international relations. She had the embassies hold regular dinners and salons with key players in each country — lawmakers, but also business leaders, journalists and even opponents of climate policy.
Ms. Tubiana and her friend Christiana Figueres, the executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, who stand out as the two most prominent women in the talks, have a shared joke about how to navigate the process of building consensus among nearly 200 governments.Ms. Tubiana and her friend Christiana Figueres, the executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, who stand out as the two most prominent women in the talks, have a shared joke about how to navigate the process of building consensus among nearly 200 governments.
“Climate change is about ecosystems,” Ms. Tubiana said. “Climate change negotiations are about ego-systems.”“Climate change is about ecosystems,” Ms. Tubiana said. “Climate change negotiations are about ego-systems.”
Her diplomatic strategy appears to be working. “She’s quite extraordinary,” said Jennifer Morgan, an expert on international climate change negotiations with the World Resources Institute, a research organization. “She’s a subject expert with long, deep relationships with people in the developed and developing world. The mix of deep, substantive knowledge combined with the machine of French diplomacy behind her has helped the process tremendously.”Her diplomatic strategy appears to be working. “She’s quite extraordinary,” said Jennifer Morgan, an expert on international climate change negotiations with the World Resources Institute, a research organization. “She’s a subject expert with long, deep relationships with people in the developed and developing world. The mix of deep, substantive knowledge combined with the machine of French diplomacy behind her has helped the process tremendously.”
She added, “French diplomacy is about nuance and cooperation, rather than blunt, direct confrontation.”She added, “French diplomacy is about nuance and cooperation, rather than blunt, direct confrontation.”
Todd Stern, the senior climate change envoy for the United States, said Ms. Tubiana had been instrumental in moving the process and people toward a deal. “This is an incredibly hard job, and she doesn’t come to the job as a deeply seasoned professional diplomat,” he said. “But using her think tank background, and the signature French Embassy events — it all affects the larger buy-in to Paris.”Todd Stern, the senior climate change envoy for the United States, said Ms. Tubiana had been instrumental in moving the process and people toward a deal. “This is an incredibly hard job, and she doesn’t come to the job as a deeply seasoned professional diplomat,” he said. “But using her think tank background, and the signature French Embassy events — it all affects the larger buy-in to Paris.”
Now, as the Paris talks go into their second week and move more rapidly toward the adoption or rejection of a global agreement, Ms. Tubiana is constantly navigating, negotiating and trying to broker deals. To move quickly between meetings with parties, she rides a small electric golf cart, labeled the “Tubiana-mobile.”Now, as the Paris talks go into their second week and move more rapidly toward the adoption or rejection of a global agreement, Ms. Tubiana is constantly navigating, negotiating and trying to broker deals. To move quickly between meetings with parties, she rides a small electric golf cart, labeled the “Tubiana-mobile.”
All that outreach is building good will, said Ajay Mathur, a climate negotiator from India, a country that will be key to the success or failure of the talks. All that outreach is building good will, said Ajay Mathur, a climate negotiator from India, a country that will be important to the success or failure of the talks.
India, the world’s third largest greenhouse gas polluter, is pushing for the accord to legally require rich countries like the United States to write checks to help poor countries adapt to climate change. Mr. Stern firmly rejects that proposal. India, the world’s third-largest greenhouse gas polluter, is pushing for the accord to legally require rich countries like the United States to write checks to help poor countries adapt to climate change. Mr. Stern firmly rejects that proposal.
As Ms. Tubiana tries to create a bridge across that divide, Mr. Mathur said he gave “full marks” to the French for their efforts. “The French understand that success to a very large extent depends on how the presidency deals with the parties.”As Ms. Tubiana tries to create a bridge across that divide, Mr. Mathur said he gave “full marks” to the French for their efforts. “The French understand that success to a very large extent depends on how the presidency deals with the parties.”
Still, at the end of this week, each country will push for what it wants, Mr. Mathur said.Still, at the end of this week, each country will push for what it wants, Mr. Mathur said.
“We, the parties, are a cussed group,” he said. “We may have crossed the first hump, but getting to the end will be difficult.”“We, the parties, are a cussed group,” he said. “We may have crossed the first hump, but getting to the end will be difficult.”