Receive the Ambassador of France, Cabinet Secretary Explains the Government Attention Related to Environmental Issues

Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto received a visit of the French Ambassador Corinne Breuze, in his office, Jakarta, Tuesday (12/5)

French Ambassador to Indonesia Corinne Breuze, Tuesday (12/5), visited Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto, extended an invitation to the Government of Indonesia to attend the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties-21 (COP-21), which will be held in Paris, in November 2015.

The meeting held in the Cabinet Secretary’s office, in Building I State Secretariat, Jakarta, the Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto convey that climate change has a broad negative impact, in various sectors, either food, fisheries, health, and others.

He mentions that every policy actually has a climate-related dimension. “Climate change is a challenge common concern of Indonesia and France,” Andi said.

According to Cabinet Secretary, basically the government policy related environmental issues is the continuing policy of the previous government, that is the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, for example through the extension of Presidential Decree No. 6 of 2013 on New Permit Delays and Improving Governance of Primary Forest and Peatland.

To show the government’s attention on the issue of climate change, Cabinet Secretary said, the President has appointed Rachmat Witoelar as President’s Special Envoy on Climate Change.

In addition, to deal with climate change issues, current government policy in the energy sector, among others, is through a 35,000 MW Power Plant Development and processing of bio-fuel products to cope with the increase in consumption of crude oil.

Invite Indonesia

While the French Ambassador to Indonesia Corinne Breuze conveys that France will host the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties-21 (COP-21), which will be held on 30 November to 10 December 2015 in Paris.

“France expects that Indonesia may attend and actively participate in the meeting,” Breuze said.

Some of the main issues that become pending discussions towards COP 21, the French ambassador said is the legal form of a new agreement in 2015 to be achieved in Paris; basic distinction obligation/contribution of the state in the 2015 Agreement; the support of climate change financing, particularly for developing countries and vulnerable; and balancing elements of mitigation and adaptation to climate change control measures after year.

Based on information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Indonesia and France agreed to hold showcase cooperation on the sidelines of COP-21, one of them in extreme weathers early warning system.

In that meeting, the French Ambassador Corinne Breuze accompanied by the First Secretary of the French Embassy for Political Affairs Thomas Biju Duval, and the Country Director of the Agence Francaise de Developement Ghislain de Valon. While Andi Widjajanto Cabinet Secretary accompanied by Deputy Polhukam Fadlansyah Lubis, Sub Director of Social and Cultural, Directorate of Western Europe, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Agus Salim. (Humas Setkab/ES)