Jakarta, Tuesday, April 5, 2022. The IPCC Mitigation Report released on April 4, 2022, firmly states that we must act now to halve global emissions by 2030 to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. Current national climate commitments (NDCs) will lead to global warming of 2.8 degrees by 2100, well above the safe limit of 1.5 degrees. The report also firmly states that reducing emissions in the agriculture, forestry, and land use (AFOLU) sector can help reduce global emissions on a large scale, but cannot compensate for delays in reducing emissions in other sectors.
" Therefore, to ensure that future generations of Indonesia have a chance of survival, the government must do two things simultaneously: drastically reduce fossil fuels and protect and restore the remaining natural ecosystems that play a major role in absorbing GHG emissions from the atmosphere. This includes protecting all remaining natural forest landscapes, stopping further clearing and draining of peatlands, and protecting and restoring mangroves on a massive scale ," said Nadia Hadad, Executive Director of the Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation, in response to the IPCC Mitigation Report released on April 4, 2022.
Currently, Madani's spatial study finds that approximately 9.7 million hectares of Indonesia's natural forests and 2.9 million hectares of peat ecosystems located outside permits/concessions and areas allocated for social forestry remain unprotected by the policy of halting new permits. These natural forests need to be immediately protected through various policy instruments. Furthermore, there are 27.2 million hectares of natural forests within permits/concessions (oil palm, IUPHHK-HA, IUPHHK-HT, mineral and coal concessions, and oil and gas concessions) that also require strategic consideration.
" The Indonesian government has set the Indonesia FOLU Net Sink 2030 target, which aims to ensure that Indonesia's forest and land sector is no longer an emitter but instead a carbon sink by 2030. One of its targets is reducing deforestation and degradation. This ambition deserves appreciation and support for its implementation. However, this ambition needs to be reflected in Indonesia's NDC document, which is scheduled to be updated in 2022 (Second Updated NDC) ," said Yosi Amelia, Forest and Climate Program Officer at the Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation.
The government has also established a Carbon Economic Value (CVE) policy to achieve Indonesia's NDC targets and control emissions in development. " Given the urgency to reduce emissions and the 2030 target, CVE must be prioritized for actions that truly reduce emissions from the atmosphere—including those carried out by indigenous peoples and local communities as forest guardians—and cannot rely on offsets, which without strict regulations and transparency can actually reduce climate ambition, " added Yosi Amelia.
The IPCC Report also states that to maximize the mitigation potential of the AFOLU sector, policies are needed that directly address emissions and encourage the implementation of land-based mitigation options – one of which is through establishing and respecting tenure rights and community-based forest management.
" In this regard, the Indonesian Government deserves appreciation, considering that Indonesia's Updated NDC document emphasizes respect for and recognition of the rights of indigenous and local communities through empowerment and recognition of the rights of indigenous and local communities in development. In line with this, the Government has also opened up opportunities to grant forest management rights through Social Forestry. However, to date, the granting of social forestry management permits for forest management communities is still far from the government's target. Meanwhile, in Indonesia's FOLU Net Sink 2030 target, the social forestry program is one of the key strategies for achieving it. To ensure this target is aligned, the Government needs to accelerate the granting of Social Forestry permits for indigenous and local communities and strengthen assistance in its implementation ," added Yosi Amelia.
Regional governments, as Non-Party Stakeholders, are key to implementing emission control actions in their regions. " To accelerate the achievement of climate commitment targets, regional governments have been mandated to participate in the implementation of climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as play a role in implementing the Carbon Economic Value (NEK) as stipulated in Presidential Regulation 98/2021. More specifically, the NEK Presidential Regulation requires provincial governments to develop baselines, targets, and action plans for GHG emission reductions, as well as to provide guidance, inventory, monitor, and report on GHG emission control actions. However, to carry out this mandate, it is important to ensure alignment between national and regional policies, increase regional capabilities and capacities in developing sustainable planning, strengthen green funding sources, and involve other multi-sectoral actors, both academics and the private sector, to implement low-carbon and climate-resilient development, " said Resni Soviyana, Green Development Program Officer at the Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation.
M. Arief Virgy, Biofuel Program Officer of the Sustainable Madani Foundation, added that the New and Renewable Energy Bill (RUU EBT) could be a strategic opportunity for Indonesia to encourage the energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, including Biofuels as a transitional energy. " However, in order for the national BBN policy to align with the achievement of Indonesia's climate commitments and net zero emissions, the EBT Bill needs to include regulations on fulfilling the principles of social and environmental sustainability in BBN development from upstream to downstream aspects and prioritizing diversification of raw material commodities by emphasizing the use of second-generation BBN technology or waste ," said M. Arief Virgy. [ ]
Media Contact:
Nadia Hadad, Executive Director of the Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation, HP. 0811 132 081
Yosi Amelia, Forest and Climate Program Officer, Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation, HP. 0813 2217 1803
M. Arief Virgy, Biofuel Program Officer, Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation, HP. 0859 2614 0003
Luluk Uliyah, Senior Media Communications Officer, Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation, HP. 0815 1986 8887
