President Jokowi Welcomes Norwegian Minister of Climate and Environment at Merdeka Palace
President Jokowi welcomes a visit from Norwegian Minister of Climate and the Environment Andreas Bjelland Eriksen at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Sunday (06/02). (Photo by: Bureau of Press, Media, and Information (BPMI) of the Presidential Secretariat/Vico)
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo welcomed a visit from Norwegian Minister of Climate and the Environment Andreas Bjelland Eriksen and his delegation at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Sunday (06/02).
The meeting discussed the partnership between Indonesia and Norway in overcoming climate change, with one of its aims being to achieve the Forestry and Other Land Use (FOLU) Net Sink target for 2030 regarding forest and land use.
“The main target is Forestry and Other Land Use Net Sink 2030 and it was said earlier that there has also been concrete support or contribution as an achievement of Indonesia’s climate action amounting to US$156 million, which is roughly equivalent to 30.2 million tons of carbon,” said Minister of the Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar in her statement after accompanying President Jokowi at the meeting.
The Minister of the Environment and Forestry explained the success of Indonesia’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions from 2020 to 2023. Siti said that by 2023, Indonesia had succeeded in exceeding its carbon emission reduction commitment target.
“In 2020 our emissions fell by 945 million tons, in 2021 889 million tons, in 2022 875 million tons, and our emissions in 2023 are being calculated but I estimate the decrease will be even less because of the recent El Nino in 2023. It’s quite difficult but it can still be managed so it will still remain more than 810 million tons, meaning that if the numbers are converted into percentages, the numbers become 48, 43, 41, 40 percent, still higher than the target because our commitment target is only 31.89 percent. If there is international cooperation, our target can reach 43 percent,” explained Siti.
On the same occasion, Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani emphasized the importance of good governance in managing environmental funds, as well as the importance of Indonesia’s reputation in attracting international support.
“The trust that results from our governance and the way we manage the funds is based on the results and that illustrates not only – it’s not about money but most importantly the reputation of Indonesia for protecting its own environment. Because it is important for our people,” said the Minister of Finance.
Meanwhile, Norwegian Minister of Climate and the Environment Andreas Bjelland Eriksen expressed appreciation for Indonesia’s achievements in reducing deforestation by up to 90 percent and ambitiously rehabilitating land.
“Indonesia has made significant achievements and produced extraordinary results regarding deforestation in recent years. So what Indonesia has achieved here in reducing deforestation by 90 percent and also making very ambitious rehabilitation efforts to meet the FOLU Net Sink target by 2030 is something the world must and needs to know,” said Minister Eriksen. (BPMI SETPRES/AIT)
