An Improved Ministry Climate

Climate in shambles. Climate between the ministries in shambles. Up until today, if we are to believe politicians. Let's go for your conclusion, not mine. Thomas Becker from the Ministry of Climate and Energy, the top negotiator for the upcoming climate summit COP15 in Copenhagen 7th-18th December, who has a huge climate related network, resigned last week over a scandal of partly internal staff problems and - much talked about - a truck load of receipts for overspending during travels to the far east. Yes, that old cliché.

Today, the joint opposition had called for a meeting and questioning time with Connie Hedegaard, Minister of Climate and Energy, from The Conservatives (C) - to have her give an in-depth explanation about these issues. And she reassured the press after the meeting:
'I have given the committee a fully confidential briefing about the matter, and there is no change. Thomas Becker has resigned. It is quite normal that members of the Audit of the State Accounts come by once a year. And they give advice as to how to streamline accounts more. It is a sad situation for everyone involved. No one is sadder about it than I am. But there are rules and procedures to adhere to,' she said referring both to him in his capacity as top negotiator and her personal aquaintance.

To the question about his importance as a negotiator leaving with an important network for the upcoming climate summit - and how that could suffer a set back if his capacity is not replaced:
'Yes, it is sad, but I have a team of 45 very competent employees, and they have a demand to concentrate and focus on this important mission. Through the COP President I can draw on the capacity of the entire UN climate section in Bonn - a staff of 350 employees, who really have the necessary network. Their primary function is to negociate with climate negotiators of the entire world. This case has been overexposed in the media, but at one point we have to settle it. We have an important task ahead.'

The opposition was satisfied. Social Democrat spokesperson for the climate, Mette Gjerskov (A)
’I think that the Finance Minister tried to reduce the question about climate financing, by taking it from the development funds, while we have about one billion people in the world going to bed hungry. That is a course I am more worried about. But when it comes to the staff related issue and the question about hability towards the climate negotiator, I am satisfied. I got answers to the questions that were important, as I see it.’

The Minister of Finance, Claus Hjort Frederiksen from The Liberals (V), had just taken questions in a European Union committee meeting right after the above meeting, and he wouldn't comment on the issues of receipts and overspending in the Ministry of Climate and Energy. Like his party collegue and spokesperson for the environment, Eyvind Vesselbo, who stressed that the climate goal regarding the COP15 is equally ambitious as it has been since the beginning.

Opposition spokesperson for the climate and environment, Anne Grethe Holmsgaard from The Socialist People's Party (F), also got what she came for:

’Everything about the staff-related issue, stops here. But it is highly important that we obtain a binding agreement, and that there is no shambles along the way,’ she said.

But as a response to the question about a top negotiator leaving a short time before the climate summit, she wasn't thrilled.

’Everybody who has negotiated knows that the best thing is to maintain the negotiators, you already have. They have the network built over many years, and that will always be the strongest. But that is sadly not how it turned out. I think everybody is sad about that. With respect to the staff-related issue, I'm bound by confidentiality. But I have no reason to have inconfidence in Connie Hedegaard,' she stressed after the meeting.

No more questions - and satisfied with answers - was also the attitude of Red-Green Alliance (Ø) member and spokesperson for the environment, Per Clausen, albeit with some critique of the handling of the case, and of a hint to a suggested inter-governmental rivalry on where to run the climate summit from - the Prime Minister's Office/State Department or the Ministry of Climate and Energy:

’We have no responsibility for the government bringing themselves in this situation. But we do have an obligation to have a matter looked into, when we get the impression that there are mix-ups of political power duels and staff-related issues. And I would have preferred to see this meeting earlier, either Tuesday or Wednesday. So we could have avoided this string of stories leaked to the media. But I got the answers I came for, and I think the matter is now fully enlightened,’ he said after the meeting.

However, the notion of a rivalry between the government parties of The Liberals (V) and The Conservatives (C) and the involved ministries was rejected by Minister of the Climate and Energy, Connie Hedegaard, as absurd.

And what have we gained after this storm in a tea cup? - if not yet another paradox: If not the world climate itself will improve as of this December, for now, it seems that at least the climate in the ministries has improved.