POLICY
JAKARTA (FORESTHINTS.NEWS) - Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has hailed Indonesia’s prominence in terms of climate action, pointing out that the country currently has forest cover of 94.1 million hectares, of which 90.1 million hectares (or 95%) consist of natural forests and the rest plantation forests.
This was among the key messages delivered by the coordinating minister in one of the sessions at the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate (Apr 22).
As previously reported by FORESTHINTS.NEWS (Mar 19), the 90.1 million hectares of natural forests in Indonesia are equivalent to about 3.7 times the size of the UK or around 2.3 times the size of Norway.
"Indonesia’s forestry sector contributes 17.2% out of the 29% target in our NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution). We have taken several corrective measures to reduce emissions from deforestation and enhance carbon stocks through forest and land rehabilitation," said the coordinating minister.
He also talked about the huge reductions in both deforestation as well as forest and land fires last year, which plummeted by 75% and 82% respectively compared to the previous year’s period.
Greater than the combined area of Norway and the UK
In the main session of the Leaders Summit hosted by US President Joe Biden, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo used his speech to emphasize Indonesia's efforts with regard to the permanent moratorium on the conversion of primary forests and peatlands, which covers more than 66 million hectares, greater than the combined area of Norway and the UK.
In another session of the summit, Coordinating Minister Pandjaitan also spoke about the various moves made by President Jokowi, including the palm oil expansion moratorium involving areas with good forest cover imposed in September 2018 and the permanent moratorium from early August 2019
As reported by FORESTHINTS.NEWS (Apr 23), a significant part of the permanent moratorium map is home to numerous flagship species such as Sumatran orangutans, tigers, elephants and rhinos, as well as Tapanuli orangutans. It also incorporates the habitats of Javan rhinos and Bornean orangutans.
Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya told FORESTHINTS.NEWS (Apr 22) that the permanent moratorium is a real form of climate action, not only in terms of carbon sequestration and storage, but also for the protection of flagship species.
Indonesia hosts the largest habitat on earth for Bornean orangutans, as seen below. Minister Nurbaya has consistently guaranteed that this flagship species will never go extinct, thanks, among other things, to President Jokowi's permanent moratorium initiative.
Blue carbon storage
Coordinating Minister Pandjaitan also used his speech to provide another reminder of the substantial role Indonesia plays in addressing climate issues by mentioning that the country accounts for almost 17% of global blue carbon storage.
“This is a significant amount and cannot be underestimated. Coastal resilience is essential for Indonesia,” he said.
According to the coordinating minister, Indonesia contains 3.31 million hectares of mangrove areas, equivalent to 20% of the mangroves on earth.
He also underlined current government efforts to rehabilitate 620,000 hectares of degraded mangroves by 2024, which in turn will contribute to emissions reductions.
Coordinating Minister Pandjaitan is seen below giving directions on efforts to rehabilitate degraded mangroves, spanning an area more than 8.5 times as large as Singapore. He was accompanied by Minister Nurbaya and Head of the Peat and Mangrove Restoration Agency Hartono Prawiraatmadja.
In his speech at the Leaders Summit, President Jokowi also explained that the level of carbon absorption from mangrove forests is four times that of tropical forests, adding that the scale of the rehabilitation of degraded mangroves in Indonesia is the greatest in the world.
Food estates
Senior Minister Pandjaitan also spoke about the development of food estates, which he said incorporate green technology and the latest agricultural practices by maximizing crop production.
“This will lead to more jobs, better incomes for farmers, as well as rural development,” he asserted.
The coordinating minister also elaborated on efforts to achieve the dual goals in the Central Kalimantan food estate project of improving the fertility of peat soil for more profitable agriculture along with controlling potential forest and land fires through extensive water management interventions.
He went on to discuss the impressive progress being made in transforming grasslands into fertile agricultural lands for potatoes, shallots, and garlic in North Sumatra province.
Climate leadership prioritized
In the final section, the coordinating minister said that when Indonesia becomes chair of the G20 next year and ASEAN in 2023, it will prioritize climate change issues while supporting emerging economies and developing countries in efforts to achieve their global climate ambitions.
“We're looking for further collaborations with the US for climate action, as well as with other countries across the G20 and ASEAN to achieve common goals,” Coordinating Minister Pandjaitan said to conclude his speech.
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POLICY
JAKARTA (FORESTHINTS.NEWS) - Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has hailed Indonesia’s prominence in terms of climate action, pointing out that the country currently has forest cover of 94.1 million hectares, of which 90.1 million hectares (or 95%) consist of natural forests and the rest plantation forests.
This was among the key messages delivered by the coordinating minister in one of the sessions at the virtual Leaders Summit on Climate (Apr 22).
As previously reported by FORESTHINTS.NEWS (Mar 19), the 90.1 million hectares of natural forests in Indonesia are equivalent to about 3.7 times the size of the UK or around 2.3 times the size of Norway.
"Indonesia’s forestry sector contributes 17.2% out of the 29% target in our NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution). We have taken several corrective measures to reduce emissions from deforestation and enhance carbon stocks through forest and land rehabilitation," said the coordinating minister.
He also talked about the huge reductions in both deforestation as well as forest and land fires last year, which plummeted by 75% and 82% respectively compared to the previous year’s period.
Greater than the combined area of Norway and the UK
In the main session of the Leaders Summit hosted by US President Joe Biden, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo used his speech to emphasize Indonesia's efforts with regard to the permanent moratorium on the conversion of primary forests and peatlands, which covers more than 66 million hectares, greater than the combined area of Norway and the UK.
In another session of the summit, Coordinating Minister Pandjaitan also spoke about the various moves made by President Jokowi, including the palm oil expansion moratorium involving areas with good forest cover imposed in September 2018 and the permanent moratorium from early August 2019
As reported by FORESTHINTS.NEWS (Apr 23), a significant part of the permanent moratorium map is home to numerous flagship species such as Sumatran orangutans, tigers, elephants and rhinos, as well as Tapanuli orangutans. It also incorporates the habitats of Javan rhinos and Bornean orangutans.
Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya told FORESTHINTS.NEWS (Apr 22) that the permanent moratorium is a real form of climate action, not only in terms of carbon sequestration and storage, but also for the protection of flagship species.
Indonesia hosts the largest habitat on earth for Bornean orangutans, as seen below. Minister Nurbaya has consistently guaranteed that this flagship species will never go extinct, thanks, among other things, to President Jokowi's permanent moratorium initiative.
Blue carbon storage
Coordinating Minister Pandjaitan also used his speech to provide another reminder of the substantial role Indonesia plays in addressing climate issues by mentioning that the country accounts for almost 17% of global blue carbon storage.
“This is a significant amount and cannot be underestimated. Coastal resilience is essential for Indonesia,” he said.
According to the coordinating minister, Indonesia contains 3.31 million hectares of mangrove areas, equivalent to 20% of the mangroves on earth.
He also underlined current government efforts to rehabilitate 620,000 hectares of degraded mangroves by 2024, which in turn will contribute to emissions reductions.
Coordinating Minister Pandjaitan is seen below giving directions on efforts to rehabilitate degraded mangroves, spanning an area more than 8.5 times as large as Singapore. He was accompanied by Minister Nurbaya and Head of the Peat and Mangrove Restoration Agency Hartono Prawiraatmadja.
In his speech at the Leaders Summit, President Jokowi also explained that the level of carbon absorption from mangrove forests is four times that of tropical forests, adding that the scale of the rehabilitation of degraded mangroves in Indonesia is the greatest in the world.
Food estates
Senior Minister Pandjaitan also spoke about the development of food estates, which he said incorporate green technology and the latest agricultural practices by maximizing crop production.
“This will lead to more jobs, better incomes for farmers, as well as rural development,” he asserted.
The coordinating minister also elaborated on efforts to achieve the dual goals in the Central Kalimantan food estate project of improving the fertility of peat soil for more profitable agriculture along with controlling potential forest and land fires through extensive water management interventions.
He went on to discuss the impressive progress being made in transforming grasslands into fertile agricultural lands for potatoes, shallots, and garlic in North Sumatra province.
Climate leadership prioritized
In the final section, the coordinating minister said that when Indonesia becomes chair of the G20 next year and ASEAN in 2023, it will prioritize climate change issues while supporting emerging economies and developing countries in efforts to achieve their global climate ambitions.
“We're looking for further collaborations with the US for climate action, as well as with other countries across the G20 and ASEAN to achieve common goals,” Coordinating Minister Pandjaitan said to conclude his speech.
RELATED STORIES
