Jakarta, April 23, 2021 Indonesia has the potential to lead the world in addressing the climate crisis. Besides being the third-largest country with tropical rainforests in the world after Brazil and Congo, Indonesia has also succeeded in reducing deforestation by 75 percent in the 2019-2020 period. " This achievement is a manifestation of Indonesia's commitment and concrete action in addressing the global climate crisis. Moreover, the Indonesian government has also reduced the rate of natural forest deforestation for four consecutive years ," said Nadia Hadad, Program Director of the Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation, in response to President Joko Widodo's speech at the Leaders Summit on Climate on April 22, 2021.
Unfortunately, President Joko Widodo's speech at the Leaders Summit on Climate, initiated by US President Joe Biden, did not imply this. President Joko Widodo stated that the moratorium on new permits in natural forests and peatlands has covered 66 million hectares, which is larger than the area of the United Kingdom and Norway combined. However, this achievement alone is not enough. Efforts are still needed to strengthen climate commitments in the Land Use and Forestry Land Use Change (LULUCF) sector. " Strengthening the policy of halting new permits by adding 9.4 million hectares of natural forest not yet protected in PIPPIB, PIAPS, and outside permits and concessions will help Indonesia reduce its deforestation rate. Protecting natural forests already within permits and concessions will also help ensure the achievement of Indonesia's climate commitments in the forestry sector. This way, Indonesia can become a leading country in addressing the global climate crisis ," said Yosi Amelia, Forest and Climate Program Officer at the Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation.
In the LTS-LCCR 2050 document, Indonesia has targeted the most ambitious scenario (LCCP) in the forestry sector for the natural forest deforestation rate of 241 thousand hectares per year from 2010-2030 and 99 thousand hectares per year from 2031-2050. " With this scenario, Indonesia can achieve carbon neutrality before 2070, provided that Indonesia must adopt the most ambitious scenario and target a lower deforestation quota in the Updated NDC ," added Yosi Amelia.
In his speech, President Joko Widodo also mentioned the 620,000-hectare mangrove restoration target, which is indeed commendable. " However, there needs to be an increase in the peat restoration target to help the forestry and land sector become a net sink by 2030. In the BRGM Presidential Regulation, the peat restoration target only covers an area of 1.2 million hectares for the 2021-2024 period from the 2.6 million hectares of priority restoration areas from the 2016-2020 priority areas. Unfortunately, this target only covers the restoration of peat ecosystems located outside of permit and concession areas. Meanwhile, on the other hand, 14.2 million hectares of peat ecosystems have been burdened with permits and 99% of Indonesia's peat ecosystems are in a damaged state ," said Yosi Amelia.
" Therefore, it is important for the Indonesian government to immediately realize the existing peat restoration targets and expand the implementation of peat restoration to areas burned in the 2019 fires, not only in peat ecosystems located outside the permit/concession areas but also peat ecosystems located within the permit/concession areas ," added Yosi Amelia.
President Joko Widodo also discussed the opportunities and plans for biofuel development in Indonesia. " Efforts to reduce carbon emissions in the energy sector by using renewable biofuels must be carried out carefully, as biofuel development efforts must not be at the expense of Indonesia's natural forests by replacing natural forests with energy plantations or expanding oil palm plantations to meet biofuel raw materials. Clearing forests and land for biofuels risks increasing deforestation, thus failing Indonesia to meet its climate commitments and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 ," said Yosi Amelia.
The countries participating in the Summit have conveyed more ambitious commitments to reduce emissions in an effort to combat the climate crisis, including Brazil, which has the largest tropical rainforest in the world, which has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. However, Indonesia itself has not yet dared to show an ambitious commitment to achieve net zero emissions before 2050. " This Leaders Summit on Climate Meeting should be a momentum for Indonesia to lead other countries in the world to overcome the climate crisis, as well as a momentum for Indonesia to convey the achievement of carbon neutrality (net zero emissions) by 2050 as targeted in the Paris Agreement ," concluded Nadia Hadad. [ ]
Media Contact:
Nadia Hadad, Program Director of the Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation, HP. 0811 132 081
Yosi Amelia, Forest and Climate Program Officer, Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation, HP. 0813 2217 1803
Luluk Uliyah, Senior Media Communications Officer, Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation, HP. 0815 1986 8887
