Haze over Jakarta has worsened with Indonesia’s frequent forest fires. Photo courtesy of Edwin Maolana/flickr

JAKARTA, Indonesia (26 September, 2011)_Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday issued a decree with a national action plan to reduce greenhouses gas emissions – a goal that can only be achieved by safeguarding the country’s forests.

His announcement comes a day before he is due to address about 1,200 national leaders, captains of industry, NGO representatives, donors and others at a conference entitled Forests Indonesia: Alternative futures to meet demands for food, fibre, fuel and REDD+, which is being hosted by the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) in Jakarta.

“This is our attempt to follow-up Bali Action Plan as agreed in the UNFCCC COP 13, while meeting Indonesia’s voluntary commitment to reduce GHG emissions by 26% or up to 41% with international support by 2020 “, Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam was quoted as saying in a government press release.

The action plan will give guidance to local governments and ministries on how plan and implement low carbon activities in the areas of agriculture, forestry and peatland, energy and transportation, industry, and waste management.

It is also hoped that businesses will use the plan to develop low carbon models that will ensure the sustainable management of Indonesia’s resources.

Indonesia is home to the world’s third­ largest tropical forest, yet it is one of the highest greenhouse gas emitters in the world.

Globally,  deforestation accounts for up to 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. In Indonesia, however, that figure is more than 60 percent, making the country one of the highest emitters in the world.

In 2009, President Yudhoyono pledged to cut Indonesia’s greenhouse gas emission by 26 percent from business as usual levels by 2020, and by 41 percent with international assistance. Since then, Norway has committed US$1 billion to help Indonesia meet that target, and in May this year the government issued a two-year moratorium on new forestry concessions.

The Forests Indonesia conference, held in Jakarta on the 27^th September, will provide an opportunity for NGOs, development agencies, and government ministries to discuss these challenges. It will look at the opportunities available to reduce deforestation rates, while at the same time expanding agricultural production to guarantee food security targets and promote economic growth.

Here is the press release:

PRESS RELEASE

Cabinet Secretary: President Yudhoyono signed Presidential Decree on National Action Plan to reduce GHG emissions

Jakarta, 26 September 2011

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has signed Presidential Decree No. 61 2011 on September 20 on National Action Plan to reduce Greenhouses Gas emission (refer as RAN-GRK).

Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam underlined Indonesia’s unique geographic landscape that is very vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, which then motivate Indonesia to voluntarily contribute on prevention actions through climate change mitigation.

“This is our attempt to follow-up Bali Action Plan as agreed in the UNFCCC COP 13, while meeting Indonesia’s voluntary commitment to reduce GHG emissions by 26% or up to 41% with international support by 2020. In order to do so, we conduct national action to reduce GHG emissions”, said Dipo Alam.

RAN-GRK will be used as a reference document for Indonesia in planning and conducting direct and indirect activities to reduce GHG emissions in accordance to national circumstances such as development targets. The rate of GHG emission reduction will be based on annual basis.  Activities listed in the RAN-GRK are grouped into sectors, i.e.: Agriculture, Forestry and Peat Land, Energy and Transportation, Industry, Waste Management, and other supporting activities.

The document will be conducted as guidance for related ministers and head of institutions in implementing RAN-GRK in relation to their main tasks and functions respectively. Implementation and monitoring of activities undertaken will be coordinated by the Coordinating Minister for Economy.  It is also expected that public and businesses will use the document as reference on their plan and implementation of the emission reduction measures.

The action plan is also provide guidance to local government. Governors should develop regional action plan to reduce GHG emissions (refer as RAD-GRK) in their provinces accordingly, while taking into consideration their regional development priorities. “Based on this Presidential Decree, preparation of RAD-GRK should be resolved and determined by the Governor Regulation no longer than 12 months after the issued date of the Decree” stated Armida Alisjahbana, Indonesian State Minister for National Development Planning/Head of  Bappenas.

Armida also added that the preparation of RAD-GRK will be facilitated and coordinated by Minister of Home Affairs, who will be supported by Bappenas and Ministry of Environment.  The guidelines for the preparation of RAD-GRK will be issued by Bappenas in no later than 3 months since the enactment of this decree.

A periodical review will be conducted for RAN-GRK. The review would be based, included but not only, on national needs and development of international dynamics. Bappenas will be the lead agency in carry out the assessment of the review. The result of such review will be submitted, at least once a year, to the Coordinating Minister for Economy with copies to Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare.

Each sector included in RAN-GRK were given a proportion on their contribution to the overall GHG emission reduction target of 26%/41%, as follows:

1. Agriculture: 0.008 Gigatonnes CO2e (26%) and 0.011 Gigatonnes CO2e (41%)
2. Forestry Sector and Peatlands: 0.672 Gigatonnes CO2e (26%) and 1.039 Gigatonnes CO2e (41%)
3. Energy and Transport: 0.038 Gigatonnes CO2e (26%) and 0.056 Gigatonnes CO2e (41%)
4. Industry: 0.001 Gigatonnes CO2e (26%) and 0.005 Gigatonnes CO2e (41%)
5. Waste Management Field: 0.048 Gigatonnes CO2e (26%) and 0.078 Gigatonnes CO2e (41%)

Dipo ended his explanation by stated that RAN-GRK will use a variety of funding, provided by APBN (state budget), APBD (regional budget) and other legitimate sources and non-binding that are allowed by Indonesia’s legislation.

Annex: http://sipuu.setkab.go.id/PUUdoc/17288/LAMPIRAN%201%20612011.pdf

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Editorial Notes:

1. Greenhouse Gases (GHG) are natural and anthropogenic atmospheric gases that has similar function to a greenhouse, trap and release infrared  radiation that comes to the earth. The common GHG gases are Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrogen Oxide (N2O), and fluorocarbon-based gases (HFC, PFC, dan SF6). GHG effect that is formed by the gases, will create an abnormal increment of earth surface temperature, which results in Global Warming that leads to Extreme Climate Change.
2. “Bali Action Plan” is one decision under “Bali Road Map”, a ‘roadmap’ of important decisions undertaken in the Conference of Parties United Nations Climate Change Convention/COP UNFCCC in Bali, December 2007. “Bali Action Plan” is a comprehensive action plan for a long-term commitment in implementing the principal and function of the Convention that includes framework on mitigation and adaptation actions and their technology and financing supports. This action plan is expected to be sealed before end of 2012 to avoid possible gap of actions that may happen when the first commitment period of Kyoto Protocol ends by 2012.
3. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at G-20 Meeting in Pittsburgh, United States in December 2009 stated that Indonesia would voluntarily contribute to the global emission reductions by targeting a national GHG emission actions to reduce Indonesia’s GHG emission to 26% from Business-As-Usual (BAU) and up to 41% with international support by year 2020.

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