POLICY
JAKARTA (FORESTHINTS.NEWS) -
Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya has urged continued vigilance against the possibility of new forest and land fires in the country despite several years of widespread success in tackling and suppressing such fires.
The Minister recently cited evidence showing that Indonesia – in stark contrast to various other countries - managed to prevent any significant haze-causing fires for three consecutive years over the course of the global pandemic thereby substantially diminishing its contribution to global fire emissions, as reported by FORESTHINTS.NEWS in late October last year.
The big threat, Minister Nurbaya stressed, comes from a climate anomaly in the form of a potential return of the El Niño weather phenomenon in the middle of 2023, bringing with it drier conditions more conducive to fire outbreaks, after three years of the opposite La Niña effect.
These were among the matters discussed at a Special Coordination Meeting (Rakorsus) on Forest and Land Fire Prevention (Jan 20), held at the MoEF building to evaluate the implementation of forest and land fire control in 2022 as well as to discuss preparations for the possible occurrence of such fires this year.
The meeting was attended by Minister Nurbaya, her deputy Minister, the Deputy Chief of National Police, Senior Military Representatives, the Head of BNPB (National Disaster Management Agency), Head of BMKG (Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency), Head of BRGM (Peatland and Mangrove Restoration Agency).
Also present were Regional Heads from the provinces of West Kalimantan, Riau and Central Kalimantan, along with their respective Regional Military Leaders/Commanders, Police Chiefs and Heads of Public Prosecutor Offices, BPBD (Regional Disaster Management Agency) technical field operators, and the Head of the Technical Implementation Unit (UPT) of MoEF, some of whom participated in-person in Jakarta with the others taking part online from their respective provinces.
Enhanced efforts needed
Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD, who led the meeting, asked all concerned parties to enhance their awareness of the potential increase in forest and land fires in 2023 and to work together more intensively and consistently - in terms of infrastructure, budget, regulations and other related matters - to anticipate the elevated potential for fires.
"(Let’s) immediately get rid of any obstacles and constraints that may impede our battle against forest and land fires, and let’s not allow technical matters to hinder our performance," the Coordinating Minister implored.
"BMKG predicts that El Niño may occur this year after the previous 3 years of La Niña. There is thus an expectation, in line with this, of an increase in the potential for forest and land fires, similar to what happened in 2019," he added.
Operations slated for February
Minister Nurbaya, meanwhile, said that hotspot monitoring data for the year so far has revealed 31 hotspots from January 1-19, up 29% from the same period last year.
"The Coordinating Minister emphasized the need to be careful because this data confirms BMKG’s (Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency) projection that in 2023 we will experience a climate anomaly, with less rain and hotter temperatures in May and June," she explained.
In light of this, according to Minister Nurbaya, appropriate weather modification operations will likely be commenced in February in line with President Jokowi’s appeal for renewed efforts to combat forest and land fires and prevent the haze they cause, including and especially over the holy fasting month of Ramadan in March and April.
The Head of BMKG, Dwikorita Karnawati, elaborated on the increased potential for fires, pointing out that the risk would be particularly great in regions undergoing their dry season, such as the Riau region, parts of Jambi and parts of North Sumatra, as early as February while other areas of the currently are still experiencing heavy rains.
BMKG had previously warned, in October last year, of a dissipating La Niña being superseded by neutral conditions bordering on El Niño in 2023.
Uncompromising law enforcement
Minister Nurbaya cautioned that awareness of the increased potential for forest and land fires is even more vital given that Indonesia is serving as the Chair of ASEAN for 2023 with the associated mandate of leading the ASEAN Summit and other related high-level meetings planned for May and September - the expected peak period of 2023's dry season.
Furthermore, she pointed out that Indonesia is approaching a general election period, including a presidential race, with any possible national security disturbances - including a potential rise in forest and land fires - to be avoided at all costs.
Given the importance of tackling forest and land fires, Minister Nurbaya has reiterated that she will unwaveringly continue to prioritize law enforcement action against companies which fail to protect their concessions from fires, as previously ordered by President Joko Widodo.
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POLICY
JAKARTA (FORESTHINTS.NEWS) -
Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya has urged continued vigilance against the possibility of new forest and land fires in the country despite several years of widespread success in tackling and suppressing such fires.
The Minister recently cited evidence showing that Indonesia – in stark contrast to various other countries - managed to prevent any significant haze-causing fires for three consecutive years over the course of the global pandemic thereby substantially diminishing its contribution to global fire emissions, as reported by FORESTHINTS.NEWS in late October last year.
The big threat, Minister Nurbaya stressed, comes from a climate anomaly in the form of a potential return of the El Niño weather phenomenon in the middle of 2023, bringing with it drier conditions more conducive to fire outbreaks, after three years of the opposite La Niña effect.
These were among the matters discussed at a Special Coordination Meeting (Rakorsus) on Forest and Land Fire Prevention (Jan 20), held at the MoEF building to evaluate the implementation of forest and land fire control in 2022 as well as to discuss preparations for the possible occurrence of such fires this year.
The meeting was attended by Minister Nurbaya, her deputy Minister, the Deputy Chief of National Police, Senior Military Representatives, the Head of BNPB (National Disaster Management Agency), Head of BMKG (Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency), Head of BRGM (Peatland and Mangrove Restoration Agency).
Also present were Regional Heads from the provinces of West Kalimantan, Riau and Central Kalimantan, along with their respective Regional Military Leaders/Commanders, Police Chiefs and Heads of Public Prosecutor Offices, BPBD (Regional Disaster Management Agency) technical field operators, and the Head of the Technical Implementation Unit (UPT) of MoEF, some of whom participated in-person in Jakarta with the others taking part online from their respective provinces.
Enhanced efforts needed
Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD, who led the meeting, asked all concerned parties to enhance their awareness of the potential increase in forest and land fires in 2023 and to work together more intensively and consistently - in terms of infrastructure, budget, regulations and other related matters - to anticipate the elevated potential for fires.
"(Let’s) immediately get rid of any obstacles and constraints that may impede our battle against forest and land fires, and let’s not allow technical matters to hinder our performance," the Coordinating Minister implored.
"BMKG predicts that El Niño may occur this year after the previous 3 years of La Niña. There is thus an expectation, in line with this, of an increase in the potential for forest and land fires, similar to what happened in 2019," he added.
Operations slated for February
Minister Nurbaya, meanwhile, said that hotspot monitoring data for the year so far has revealed 31 hotspots from January 1-19, up 29% from the same period last year.
"The Coordinating Minister emphasized the need to be careful because this data confirms BMKG’s (Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency) projection that in 2023 we will experience a climate anomaly, with less rain and hotter temperatures in May and June," she explained.
In light of this, according to Minister Nurbaya, appropriate weather modification operations will likely be commenced in February in line with President Jokowi’s appeal for renewed efforts to combat forest and land fires and prevent the haze they cause, including and especially over the holy fasting month of Ramadan in March and April.
The Head of BMKG, Dwikorita Karnawati, elaborated on the increased potential for fires, pointing out that the risk would be particularly great in regions undergoing their dry season, such as the Riau region, parts of Jambi and parts of North Sumatra, as early as February while other areas of the currently are still experiencing heavy rains.
BMKG had previously warned, in October last year, of a dissipating La Niña being superseded by neutral conditions bordering on El Niño in 2023.
Uncompromising law enforcement
Minister Nurbaya cautioned that awareness of the increased potential for forest and land fires is even more vital given that Indonesia is serving as the Chair of ASEAN for 2023 with the associated mandate of leading the ASEAN Summit and other related high-level meetings planned for May and September - the expected peak period of 2023's dry season.
Furthermore, she pointed out that Indonesia is approaching a general election period, including a presidential race, with any possible national security disturbances - including a potential rise in forest and land fires - to be avoided at all costs.
Given the importance of tackling forest and land fires, Minister Nurbaya has reiterated that she will unwaveringly continue to prioritize law enforcement action against companies which fail to protect their concessions from fires, as previously ordered by President Joko Widodo.
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