POLICY
JAKARTA (FORESTHINTS.NEWS) - The Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry continues to take firm action against a number of self-declared carbon projects, especially in conservation areas and protection forests.
The ministry, for example, has identified a number of self-declared carbon projects in conservation areas carried out by international entities and has warned them explicitly to cancel their projects.
Indonesia is home to 560 conservation sites covering 27 million hectares, as well as protection forests spanning more than 29 million hectares - a total of over 56 million hectares, or greater than twice the size of the UK.
“One of the self-declared carbon projects in Sebangau National Park has been warned to stop this kind of work,” said the Ministry's Nature Resources and Ecosystem Conservation Director General Wiratno when giving an update on the ministry's move to cancel self-declared carbon projects (Jul 8).
The director general emphasized that the move was initiated by an order from the country's Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya to ensure that all self-declared carbon projects, especially those involving state forest areas, are not operating illegally.
“I have asked all our offices across Indonesia to investigate self-declared carbon projects, especially those in conservation areas and protection forests, and then take steps to stop them,” Wiratno declared.
Furthermore, according to the director general, Minister Nurbaya has also ordered all carbon projects to register in the country's national registry system - established in 2017 - with all the legal requirements involved, among other things, as previously reported by FORESTHINTS.NEWS (Jun 10).
Below are photos of Bornean orangutans in Sebangau National Park, which is roughly the size of Bali. Flagship species are often used as selling points for these self-declared carbon projects. However, these projects are in violation of the rules.
High profile self-declared carbon project cancelled
Director General Wiratno also cited the recent cancellation by Minister Nurbaya of a high profile self-declared carbon project in North Sumatra which is a joint collaboration between an international conservation organization and a global consumer goods giant.
“This cancellation reflects the effort and consistency of our minister in making certain that all carbon projects in Indonesia adhere to responsible and accountable legal arrangements,” he explained.
He emphasized that Minister Nurbaya has prioritized Indonesia directing all of its carbon resources towards meeting the country's NDC target.
In line with this, Wiratno reiterated that self-declared carbon projects set up for the interests of certain parties and operating outside Indonesia's legal system must be cancelled.
“Why do they have to be cancelled? The aim is to avoid illegalities and the double counting of Indonesia's NDC target. This is a clear message from our minister in her capacity as Indonesia's focal point to the UNFCCC,” Wiratno asserted.
With regard to the issue of double counting, the director general stated, “our minister understands very well that a self-declared carbon project is important for a business' reputation. However, if it takes place outside the corridor of legality, it can greatly interfere with governing procedures and violate the constitution, apart from being related to state-controlled jurisdictions.”
“In essence, our minister has decided to end self-declared carbon projects because such illegal activities can result in double counting, which can have subsequent serious consequences. Instead, measures to tackle carbon emissions must have clear ultimate goals, not just fashionable ones, with implementation aligned with the level of commitment concerned,” he added.
In a recent official meeting with COP26 President Alok Sharma (May 31), Minister Nurbaya - representing President Joko Widodo - reaffirmed the country's 2030 forestry and land use carbon neutrality target.
The COP26 president subsequently posted his appreciation of this target on his twitter account, as reported by FORESTHINTS.NEWS (Jun 2).
Sharma went on to write a letter to Minister Nurbaya to express his strong support for Indonesia in its efforts to achieve the 2030 carbon neutrality target in forestry and land use, as also covered by FORESTHINTS.NEWS (Jun 22).
RELATED STORIES
POLICY
JAKARTA (FORESTHINTS.NEWS) - The Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry continues to take firm action against a number of self-declared carbon projects, especially in conservation areas and protection forests.
The ministry, for example, has identified a number of self-declared carbon projects in conservation areas carried out by international entities and has warned them explicitly to cancel their projects.
Indonesia is home to 560 conservation sites covering 27 million hectares, as well as protection forests spanning more than 29 million hectares - a total of over 56 million hectares, or greater than twice the size of the UK.
“One of the self-declared carbon projects in Sebangau National Park has been warned to stop this kind of work,” said the Ministry's Nature Resources and Ecosystem Conservation Director General Wiratno when giving an update on the ministry's move to cancel self-declared carbon projects (Jul 8).
The director general emphasized that the move was initiated by an order from the country's Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya to ensure that all self-declared carbon projects, especially those involving state forest areas, are not operating illegally.
“I have asked all our offices across Indonesia to investigate self-declared carbon projects, especially those in conservation areas and protection forests, and then take steps to stop them,” Wiratno declared.
Furthermore, according to the director general, Minister Nurbaya has also ordered all carbon projects to register in the country's national registry system - established in 2017 - with all the legal requirements involved, among other things, as previously reported by FORESTHINTS.NEWS (Jun 10).
Below are photos of Bornean orangutans in Sebangau National Park, which is roughly the size of Bali. Flagship species are often used as selling points for these self-declared carbon projects. However, these projects are in violation of the rules.
High profile self-declared carbon project cancelled
Director General Wiratno also cited the recent cancellation by Minister Nurbaya of a high profile self-declared carbon project in North Sumatra which is a joint collaboration between an international conservation organization and a global consumer goods giant.
“This cancellation reflects the effort and consistency of our minister in making certain that all carbon projects in Indonesia adhere to responsible and accountable legal arrangements,” he explained.
He emphasized that Minister Nurbaya has prioritized Indonesia directing all of its carbon resources towards meeting the country's NDC target.
In line with this, Wiratno reiterated that self-declared carbon projects set up for the interests of certain parties and operating outside Indonesia's legal system must be cancelled.
“Why do they have to be cancelled? The aim is to avoid illegalities and the double counting of Indonesia's NDC target. This is a clear message from our minister in her capacity as Indonesia's focal point to the UNFCCC,” Wiratno asserted.
With regard to the issue of double counting, the director general stated, “our minister understands very well that a self-declared carbon project is important for a business' reputation. However, if it takes place outside the corridor of legality, it can greatly interfere with governing procedures and violate the constitution, apart from being related to state-controlled jurisdictions.”
“In essence, our minister has decided to end self-declared carbon projects because such illegal activities can result in double counting, which can have subsequent serious consequences. Instead, measures to tackle carbon emissions must have clear ultimate goals, not just fashionable ones, with implementation aligned with the level of commitment concerned,” he added.
In a recent official meeting with COP26 President Alok Sharma (May 31), Minister Nurbaya - representing President Joko Widodo - reaffirmed the country's 2030 forestry and land use carbon neutrality target.
The COP26 president subsequently posted his appreciation of this target on his twitter account, as reported by FORESTHINTS.NEWS (Jun 2).
Sharma went on to write a letter to Minister Nurbaya to express his strong support for Indonesia in its efforts to achieve the 2030 carbon neutrality target in forestry and land use, as also covered by FORESTHINTS.NEWS (Jun 22).
RELATED STORIES
