POLICY
JAKARTA (FORESTHINTS.NEWS) - Scientists from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), the EU's earth observation program, have revealed (Dec 6) that CO2 emissions from global wildfires this year generated 148% more than total EU fossil fuel emissions in 2020.
The CAMS scientists described how global wildfires in 2021 have caused an estimated total of 1,760 megatonnes of carbon emissions, or equivalent to 6,450 megatonnes of CO2. Meanwhile, total CO2 emissions from fossil fuels in the EU in 2020 amounted to 2,600 megatonnes.
These highest ever estimated emissions, according to the CAMS, derive from wildfires in Siberia, North America (US and Canada) and the Mediterranean.
With regard to the massive emissions output this year due to global wildfires, Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya confirmed that Indonesia has not been a major contributor to CO2 emissions from such wildfires, either last year or this year. In fact, Indonesia’s contribution to global fire emissions was barely nearly 0% over 2020-2021.
“Indonesia remains wholly determined to ensure that, in the coming years, we continue reducing CO2 emissions originating from forest and land fires, to build on our success stories during the global pandemic period (2020-2021) of contributing almost zero percentage to the highest ever global fire emissions,” Minister Nurbaya affirmed (Dec 8).
Summary of Indonesia's 2021 efforts
As it has done consistently over the past five years (2016-2020), over the course of this year FORESTHINTS.NEWS has regularly reported on field-based evidence and efforts, primarily sourced from the Indonesian forestry authorities, to tackle forest and land fires.
This year, Indonesia once again demonstrated its class and resilience by successfully averting the much-predicted double-disaster of the ongoing global pandemic being exacerbated by haze-causing fires. The country has now achieved this two years running.
Indonesia's largely fire-free record in 2020-2021 stands in stark contrast to some developed countries which have endured widespread and devastating haze-causing fires in this period, making them stand out as major contributors to the highest ever global fire emissions.
The following are recaps of some news reports posted by FORESTHINTS.NEWS this year, specifically on satellite and ground-based monitoring efforts and actions carried out by the Indonesian government to ensure two consecutive years without the so-called double-disaster.
Indonesia makes undeniable history by preventing double disaster
January 5, 2021
Indonesian Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya explained that permanent solutions aimed at tackling haze-causing fires would be continued to prevent, once again, a double-disaster in the second year of the global pandemic. This story also reported on a message delivered by Minister Nurbaya that actions speak louder than words, as exemplified by Indonesia successfully shattering the many dire predictions of a double-disaster.
CNA Insider videos on Indonesia’s forests counterbalanced by authorities
March 5, 2021
This news report, among other things, revealed how Indonesia took the lead in ensuring zero transboundary haze in the first year of the pandemic. To prove this was fact, not fiction, the Indonesian forestry authorities showed that there had been a more than 91% decrease in potential fire spots compared to the previous year.
50.7% fall in Indonesia’s burned areas in first two months of this year
March 17, 2021
This story revealed that a reduction in burned areas had taken place in the first two months of 2021 in comparison to the same period in 2020. Evidence showed that the majority of the burned areas were composed of mineral soils. The story also touched on a similar decrease in potential fire spots.
Minister: No haze-causing fires during Ramadhan, Eid al-Fitr
May 17, 2021
Indonesian forestry authorities divulged that there had been an over 66% fall in the number of potential fire spots from January to mid-May 2021. This meant that there were no haze-causing fires during the Ramadhan and Eid al-Fitr period across the country. The story also highlighted the impressive ground-based efforts undertaken by the Indonesian government to prevent any substantial haze-causing fires throughout 2021.
Report details remarkable declines in hotspots
June 16, 2021
This news report provided an update of data from the Indonesian forestry authorities who re-demonstrated that there had been a sharp decline of over 64% in the number of potential fire spots from January to mid-June 2021. President Joko Widodo delivered evidence at the Leaders' Summit on Climate hosted by US President Joe Biden of Indonesia's great success in driving down forest and land fires by as much as 82%, contrasting hugely with the experiences of the US, Europe and Australia.
Indonesian forestry sector delivers two major points of progress in first half of 2021
July 1, 2021
One of the major points of progress focused on by this news report was Indonesia's outstanding success in suppressing the number of potential fire spots by more than 63% from January to June 2021, according to a mid-year review by the Indonesian forestry sector. Minister Nurbaya reemphasized that the clear target remained of averting any substantial haze-causing fires throughout 2021 to mirror the previous year's achievement.
US wildfires pass one-million-hectare mark this month, far exceeding Indonesia
July 21, 2021
US wildfires have been among the major contributors to global fire emissions this year. This story used NIFC data indicating that from January to July 20 this year, the total area burned by US wildfires had passed the one-million-hectare mark. To put it into perspective, this is over 14 times the size of Singapore. Meanwhile, in 2020 US wildfires ravaged 4.1 million hectares, or 56 times the size of Singapore. The total burned areas, both in 2020 and the first half of this year, far exceeded Indonesia's total.
US wildfires have burned an area over 30 times the size of Jakarta
September 2, 2021
Following up on the above story, and relying on NIFC data once again, from January to early September 2021, the total area burned due to US wildfires surpassed 2 million hectares, equivalent to more than 30 times the size of Jakarta. This represented a rapid leap in the amount of burned land in the US, adding about one million hectares in the short period from July to early September 2021. Conversely, Indonesia saw a continuing decrease in the number of potential fire spots from January to early September 2021, by more than 60% compared to the same period in the previous year.
Indonesia not among major contributors to highest ever global fire emissions
September 27, 2021
Global fire emissions hit their highest ever level in July and August 2021, according to the CAMS data. Indonesia, however, did not appear as one of the countries listed as major contributors to these highest ever global fire emissions. Indeed, Indonesia's level of contribution to the highest ever global fire emissions in these two months, according to data from the country's forestry authorities, stood at a negligible 0.25% and 0.36% for July and August 2021 respectively.
Palm oil, pulp concessions contributed nearly 0% to record-high global fire emissions
October 4, 2021
This news report utilized data from the Indonesian forestry authorities - based on satellite and ground-based verification efforts - demonstrating that the level of burned areas in the country's palm oil and pulp concessions was extremely low. In fact, nationwide, Indonesian palm oil and pulpwood concessions contributed close to 0% to the highest ever level of global emissions.
Indonesia accomplishes two pandemic years without double-disaster
October 21, 2021
This news story reported on Indonesia's announcement, backed up by a set of clear evidence from Minister Nurbaya, that it had succeeded in accomplishing two years in a row - amid the pandemic - without enduring the double-disaster. Like the previous year, Indonesia successfully managed to defy the many pessimistic predictions in this regard.
RELATED STORIES
POLICY
JAKARTA (FORESTHINTS.NEWS) - Scientists from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), the EU's earth observation program, have revealed (Dec 6) that CO2 emissions from global wildfires this year generated 148% more than total EU fossil fuel emissions in 2020.
The CAMS scientists described how global wildfires in 2021 have caused an estimated total of 1,760 megatonnes of carbon emissions, or equivalent to 6,450 megatonnes of CO2. Meanwhile, total CO2 emissions from fossil fuels in the EU in 2020 amounted to 2,600 megatonnes.
These highest ever estimated emissions, according to the CAMS, derive from wildfires in Siberia, North America (US and Canada) and the Mediterranean.
With regard to the massive emissions output this year due to global wildfires, Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya confirmed that Indonesia has not been a major contributor to CO2 emissions from such wildfires, either last year or this year. In fact, Indonesia’s contribution to global fire emissions was barely nearly 0% over 2020-2021.
“Indonesia remains wholly determined to ensure that, in the coming years, we continue reducing CO2 emissions originating from forest and land fires, to build on our success stories during the global pandemic period (2020-2021) of contributing almost zero percentage to the highest ever global fire emissions,” Minister Nurbaya affirmed (Dec 8).
Summary of Indonesia's 2021 efforts
As it has done consistently over the past five years (2016-2020), over the course of this year FORESTHINTS.NEWS has regularly reported on field-based evidence and efforts, primarily sourced from the Indonesian forestry authorities, to tackle forest and land fires.
This year, Indonesia once again demonstrated its class and resilience by successfully averting the much-predicted double-disaster of the ongoing global pandemic being exacerbated by haze-causing fires. The country has now achieved this two years running.
Indonesia's largely fire-free record in 2020-2021 stands in stark contrast to some developed countries which have endured widespread and devastating haze-causing fires in this period, making them stand out as major contributors to the highest ever global fire emissions.
The following are recaps of some news reports posted by FORESTHINTS.NEWS this year, specifically on satellite and ground-based monitoring efforts and actions carried out by the Indonesian government to ensure two consecutive years without the so-called double-disaster.
Indonesia makes undeniable history by preventing double disaster
January 5, 2021
Indonesian Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya explained that permanent solutions aimed at tackling haze-causing fires would be continued to prevent, once again, a double-disaster in the second year of the global pandemic. This story also reported on a message delivered by Minister Nurbaya that actions speak louder than words, as exemplified by Indonesia successfully shattering the many dire predictions of a double-disaster.
CNA Insider videos on Indonesia’s forests counterbalanced by authorities
March 5, 2021
This news report, among other things, revealed how Indonesia took the lead in ensuring zero transboundary haze in the first year of the pandemic. To prove this was fact, not fiction, the Indonesian forestry authorities showed that there had been a more than 91% decrease in potential fire spots compared to the previous year.
50.7% fall in Indonesia’s burned areas in first two months of this year
March 17, 2021
This story revealed that a reduction in burned areas had taken place in the first two months of 2021 in comparison to the same period in 2020. Evidence showed that the majority of the burned areas were composed of mineral soils. The story also touched on a similar decrease in potential fire spots.
Minister: No haze-causing fires during Ramadhan, Eid al-Fitr
May 17, 2021
Indonesian forestry authorities divulged that there had been an over 66% fall in the number of potential fire spots from January to mid-May 2021. This meant that there were no haze-causing fires during the Ramadhan and Eid al-Fitr period across the country. The story also highlighted the impressive ground-based efforts undertaken by the Indonesian government to prevent any substantial haze-causing fires throughout 2021.
Report details remarkable declines in hotspots
June 16, 2021
This news report provided an update of data from the Indonesian forestry authorities who re-demonstrated that there had been a sharp decline of over 64% in the number of potential fire spots from January to mid-June 2021. President Joko Widodo delivered evidence at the Leaders' Summit on Climate hosted by US President Joe Biden of Indonesia's great success in driving down forest and land fires by as much as 82%, contrasting hugely with the experiences of the US, Europe and Australia.
Indonesian forestry sector delivers two major points of progress in first half of 2021
July 1, 2021
One of the major points of progress focused on by this news report was Indonesia's outstanding success in suppressing the number of potential fire spots by more than 63% from January to June 2021, according to a mid-year review by the Indonesian forestry sector. Minister Nurbaya reemphasized that the clear target remained of averting any substantial haze-causing fires throughout 2021 to mirror the previous year's achievement.
US wildfires pass one-million-hectare mark this month, far exceeding Indonesia
July 21, 2021
US wildfires have been among the major contributors to global fire emissions this year. This story used NIFC data indicating that from January to July 20 this year, the total area burned by US wildfires had passed the one-million-hectare mark. To put it into perspective, this is over 14 times the size of Singapore. Meanwhile, in 2020 US wildfires ravaged 4.1 million hectares, or 56 times the size of Singapore. The total burned areas, both in 2020 and the first half of this year, far exceeded Indonesia's total.
US wildfires have burned an area over 30 times the size of Jakarta
September 2, 2021
Following up on the above story, and relying on NIFC data once again, from January to early September 2021, the total area burned due to US wildfires surpassed 2 million hectares, equivalent to more than 30 times the size of Jakarta. This represented a rapid leap in the amount of burned land in the US, adding about one million hectares in the short period from July to early September 2021. Conversely, Indonesia saw a continuing decrease in the number of potential fire spots from January to early September 2021, by more than 60% compared to the same period in the previous year.
Indonesia not among major contributors to highest ever global fire emissions
September 27, 2021
Global fire emissions hit their highest ever level in July and August 2021, according to the CAMS data. Indonesia, however, did not appear as one of the countries listed as major contributors to these highest ever global fire emissions. Indeed, Indonesia's level of contribution to the highest ever global fire emissions in these two months, according to data from the country's forestry authorities, stood at a negligible 0.25% and 0.36% for July and August 2021 respectively.
Palm oil, pulp concessions contributed nearly 0% to record-high global fire emissions
October 4, 2021
This news report utilized data from the Indonesian forestry authorities - based on satellite and ground-based verification efforts - demonstrating that the level of burned areas in the country's palm oil and pulp concessions was extremely low. In fact, nationwide, Indonesian palm oil and pulpwood concessions contributed close to 0% to the highest ever level of global emissions.
Indonesia accomplishes two pandemic years without double-disaster
October 21, 2021
This news story reported on Indonesia's announcement, backed up by a set of clear evidence from Minister Nurbaya, that it had succeeded in accomplishing two years in a row - amid the pandemic - without enduring the double-disaster. Like the previous year, Indonesia successfully managed to defy the many pessimistic predictions in this regard.
RELATED STORIES
