World Muslim communities to seek actions on climate change

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 04/05/2010 4:43 PM

Muslim communities from 17 countries are slated to gather in Bogor, West Java for an international conference on climate change to concur tangible actions to deal with warmer temperature, including through the green haj concept.

About 200 participants, including more than 90 leaders of Islamic boarding schools from Indonesia, have confirmed their participation in the two-day conference from April 9 to 10.

“It is an action-oriented conference to motivate Muslims to guard the planet from severe threats of global warming,” steering committee member Ismet Hadad told reporters on Monday.

“We want to show the world communities that Muslims also take actions to combat climate change which treat all people without seeing religions or tribes.”

The conference will be held at the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) convention center with funding including from the Conservation International (CI).

The inaugural conference was held in Kuwait City in 2008. The meeting in Istanbul last year declared a seven-year action plan for climate change.

PLN Supports Earth Hour Campaign

Bernama, 27 March 2009

JAKARTA, March 27 (Bernama) -- State-owned electricity company PT PLN's Greater Jakarta and Tangerang distribution unit supports the Earth Hour campaign to have the public turn off electricity for one hour on Saturday, Antara news agency quoted a spokesman as saying.

"PLN also calls on its clients in Jakarta and Tangerang to participate in the Earth Hour campaign launched by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)," Hadi Sanjoto of the PLN's Greater Jakarta and Tangerang distribution unit said here on Thursday.

"We expect the public to fully participate in the campaign by switching off their lights, at least one light for each individual, for one hour on Saturday (March 28), from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm," he said.

However, PLN will still supply electricity to its clients and will not conduct a power blackout during the campaign.

Some 2,712 cities, towns and municipalities in 83 countries have already committed to vote Earth for Earth Hour 2009, as part of the worlds first global election between Earth and global warming.

Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights.

Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome's Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.

In 2009, Earth Hour is being taken to the next level, with the goal of one billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote.

Related Article:

On March 28 you can VOTE EARTH by switching off your lights for one hour. 8:30PM local time, wherever you live on planet earth. Saturday 28 March 2009

RI receives $250 million in grants for World Ocean Conference

The Jakarta Post | Fri, 02/27/2009 8:12 PM  

Indonesia has received US$250 million in grants from various countries for the implementation of the World Ocean Conference which will be held in Manado, North Sulawesi, on May 11-15, 2009. 

"Of the total, US$40 million is from the United States," Indroyono Soesilo, chairman of the WOC organizing committee, said in Jakarta on Thursday as quoted by state news agency Antara. 

Six heads of state from member countries of the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) would participate in the CTI Summit to be organized on May 15, in parallel with WOC, he said. 

CTI has six member countries, namely the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste, and Solomon Island. Australia and the United States are observers of CTI. 

He also said that US President Barack Obama had appreciated Indonesia's Coral Triangle Initiative. 

North Sulawesi Governor Sandurajang said his province was ready to receive around 1,500 participants from 121 countries during the WOC 2009. 

The province had constructed new eight star-rated hotels to accommodate the WOC participants, he said. 

Marine experts would discuss efforts to save the marine ecology from the impacts of the global warming during the conference.

WOC Website


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CTI initiated by Indonesia: president

1,265 villas on protected Puncak face eviction

The Jakarta Post, Sat, 02/14/2009 2:44 PM  

CIBINONG: The Bogor administration plans to tear down 1,265 villas, which were built on protected land in Puncak, West Java. 

On Friday, the head of the Bogor property control and management agency, Mas'an Djajuli, said the eviction was made after his agency completed data on villas failing to arrange building permits (IMB). 

"If everything falls into place, we will start bringing down those villas next Thursday," he was quoted by tempointeraktif.com. -JP

World Ocean Conference (WOC) preparation

Antara, 26 December 2008

President of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono authenticate four hotels in Manado, North Sulawesi, Friday (Dec.26). The hotels were prepared to hold World Ocean Conference 2009 (WOC) in next May. (ANTARA photo/Basrul Haq)

WOC Website

Indonesia to implement Bali Climate Change recommendation in 2009

www.chinaview.cn  2008-11-24 21:14:01           

JAKARTA, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian government will implement the Bali Climate Change Recommendation, which was proposed by the United Nations, next year, said an Indonesian official here on Monday. 

"The program will start next year, and involve three Indonesian ministries, namely the forestry ministry, agriculture ministry and public work ministry," said Bayu Khrisnamurti, Deputy Economic Coordinating Minister. He added that the project will be funded by the UN and last for five years. 

"The budget of this project is still being discussed for further possible change. I guess it may exceed 1.5 million U.S. dollars," Bayu said. 

The program will involve both scientists and grass roots in rural areas, who will take an adaptation to the climate change. 

"We attempt to build their knowledge of this climate change, and hope that they will find solutions and ready to adjust themselves to the change," Bayu said. 

According to him, many areas in the country, particularly in the eastern part, were obviously impacted by the climate change. "It is due to the global warming," he said. 

The program will cover 150 villages in six districts, by involving 6,000 households. The six districts include Belu, Timor Tengah Selatan, Rote Ndao, Sumba Timur, and Lembata," he said. 

East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) has been selected as the location of a pilot project in Indonesia, because the province is one of the regions which are prone to the climate change impact. Other regions prone to the climate change impact are eastern Sulawesi and Kalimantan. 

Editor: Yao

Poland-Indonesia relations: Not just about red and white

Dwi Atmanta, The Jakarta Post, Warsaw | Fri, 11/14/2008 11:10 AM  

Separated by geographical distance, Poland and Indonesia have much in common. The two nations use identical colors of red and white for their flags, and their respective histories are full of wars for independence and maintaining national unity. 

Without much fanfare, relations between the two countries have survived world and regime changes, since they were first established in the late 1950s. 

The fight against climate change has bound them even closer. Indonesia and Poland, as well as Denmark, are playing a pivotal role in creating a new international commitment to reducing global emissions. 

Poland will host the UN conference on climate change in December, which is expected to result in an action plan to implement the Bali road map agreed to in last year's conference in Indonesia. 

"We have enjoyed sound and vibrant relations so far," says Maciej Orzechowski of the Foreign Affairs Committee at the Polish Parliament (Sejm). 

However, nothing special has really happened with regard to bilateral ties, except for formalities, following the fall of Indonesia's founding president Sukarno in the mid-1960s until after Poland broke away from the communist bloc in 1990. 

That the European and Asian nations have kept their friendship, if not intimacy, intact until today is because of great contributions from the likes of former Polish ambassador to Indonesia Andrezeja Nusantara Wawrzyniaka. 

Since leaving his post in Jakarta in the early 1970s, he has maintained contact with numerous Indonesian figures, ranging from government officials to artists, and persistently promoted Indonesian and Asian cultures. The Indonesian government, through former president Soeharto, conferred upon him a medal in recognition of his efforts to help preserve bilateral relations. 

Indeed, an Indonesian atmosphere pervades his house-museum in Warsaw. Paintings by noted Indonesian artists the late Affandi, Srihadi, Popo Iskandar, Nyoman Gunarsa, and souvenirs adorn the building. 

"I don't know why I fell in love with Indonesia. It's not something I can explain," he says, recalling his close encounter with diverse Indonesian cultures during his posting to the country more than three decades ago. 

His middle name, given by president Sukarno, speaks volumes of his Indonesian connection. There is a kind of personal link between him and Indonesia, and the country remains one his regular destinations when going overseas. 

Warsaw also saw a three-month exhibition of the Papuan Asmat tribe's art, which closed late last month. The event, according to one of its guides Piotr Cichocki, drew a considerable number of people. particularly school children, almost every day. 

"It's a spectacular exhibition for the public and they want to know more about the exotic culture of the Asmat," Cichocki said recently. 

Indonesian Ambassador to Poland Hazairin Pohan says the fall of communism in Poland provided Indonesia with "fertile ground" for further cooperation. 

"Poland has changed and joined the democratic club along with Indonesia. Both countries have signed cooperation agreements, and it's the people and business sectors that should take advantage of the facilities," Hazairin said. 

Cultural exchange is a work in progress, as is trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. 

Bilateral trade in 2006 was valued at US$600 million, with Indonesia enjoying a $220 million surplus. Indonesia's imports from Poland are mostly military equipment, while exports include CPO, textiles, wood products and electronic goods. 

Hazairin said the trade volume was expected to increase by up to 40 percent next year. 

Signs of strengthening economic ties are visible with two Polish companies seeking $2 billion in investment in coal mining, not to mention rising interest in power-plant construction projects. 

"Industry players in Poland are considering investment in Indonesia as a strategic decision," Hazairin says.

 A delegation of Polish state company executives is scheduled to visit Indonesia in January to further boost economic relations between the two countries. 

Sejm member Orzechowski admits the need to explore people-to-people contact is lacking in the bilateral ties Poland and Indonesia have built. 

He said the Polish parliament had proposed the government initiate student exchange programs and provide scholarships to Indonesian nationals to study in Polish universities. 

"Not only is the student exchange program important, but it will help us maintain long-lasting cooperation. The students will be our ambassadors of friendship," Orzechowski said. 

He said Poland, home to Nobel laureate Marie Curie, was a suitable place for Indonesian and Asian students to study technology. 

"We have no other suggestion of choices but technology," he says. 

Hazairin said both governments were working on broader cooperation in education, which would include joint research, transfer of technology and student exchanges.

 

RI, Japan to launch reforestation project in East Java`s National Park

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia and Japan (Sumitomo Forestry Co.Ltd) cooperate to do reforestation in Bromo Tengger National Park, East Java, Indonesia, through Afforestation and Reforestation of Clean Development Mechanism (A/R CDM), an official stated here Tuesday in a press release. 

The cooperation had been agreed in the form of MoU which stated that Sumitomo would provide the project`s funding while Indonesia, throuh its Forestry ministry, would provide the project`s areal and funding the project through In Kind finance. 

Responding to the MoU, the project will be launched at november 12, 2008, through symbolic planting activity. The director and senior Managing Executive Officer from Sumitomo Foretry Co.Ltd, Hideki Nose, along with Indonesia`s minister of forestry MS Ka`ban, and several local authorities near the Bromo Tengger national park is scheduled to attend the launching. 

The A/R CDM reforestation project in the Bromo Tengger national park is conducted as an implementation of the ministry of forestry`s top priority policy which is rehabilitation and conservation of natural resources. 

Moreover, the joint project is also considered as concrete action in implementing the basic principle of World`s Climate Change Convention which says Common but Differentiated Responsibilities. 

Japan as the developed country has prime responsibility to overcome the global warming and world`s climate change, while Indonesia as growing country must assist the developed countries in dealing with such international problems. 

The project is expected to give benefit to both countries. Japan`s government will gain international acknowledgement for their contribution in solving global warming and climate change. Meanwhile, Indonesia will have its forest back to its function after having a degradation as life`s buffer and natural resources for people`s welfare. 

Furthermore, the international world will also mark Indonesia`s contribution in overcoming global warming and climate change. 

Estimated to end in the year of 2012, the project will reach its goal maximally if there are synergic cooperation between Bromo Tengger Semeru national park`s Reserach and Development Board, local government, entrepreneurs, and local people in the project`s implementation and its result.

RI pushes for CCS tech to cut carbon emissions

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta  

Fossil-fuel-addicted Indonesia is considering implementing carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to cut emissions, prevent climate change and win money from rich nations under a global emissions pact. 

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro and State Minister for the Environment Rachmat Witoelar said Thursday that CCS technology was the most practical method for containing large quantities of carbon emissions. 

"But it needs extra work to make it feasible," Purnomo told participants of a two-day workshop on CCS attended by dozens of players of the country's energy and oil and gas sectors. 

Purnomo said pilot projects were required to assess whether CCS was technologically and economically feasible. 

"International cooperation is required to resolve technical, financial and policy issues to ensure that CCS can be implemented," he said. 

CCS is a mechanism whereby carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from industrial and energy-related plants is injected into geological formations instead of released into the atmosphere. 

Fossil fuel burning is the second-largest producer of CO2 in the country after forest fires, the government has said. 

There are currently about 70 oil and gas companies operating in the country. 

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2006 issued a presidential decree mandating an increase in the percentage of renewable energy usage to 17 percent by 2025. 

It is estimated that CCS could cut energy sector emissions by 40 percent. 

Negotiators from 190 countries are scheduled to meet in the Polish city of Poznan in December to discuss moves to cut greenhouse gas emissions. 

It is expected the climate change conference will agree to include CCS as a flexible mechanism under the clean development mechanism (CDM). 

The CDM encourages non-obligated countries, such as Indonesia, to host emissions cutting projects. Rich countries would then provide financial assistance to the country on a tons of emissions cut basis. 

Experts have estimated that CDM project developers would pay Indonesia US$10 for every ton of CO2 it captured using CCS. 

"Therefore, we need a predictable price per carbon (captured) if we are to implement CCS. It is a carbon business," said Hardiv Situmeang, chairman of the Indonesian National Committee for the World Energy Council. 

He said CCS technology would be beneficial in Norway, as the government charged a tax of $50 per ton of carbon dioxide released. 

The State Minister for Environment estimated that rising fuel consumption could see emissions from the energy sector skyrocket to 2,878 million tons in 2050 from the 977 million tons forecast for 2008. 

Chief researcher at the Research and Development Center for Oil and Gas Technology (Lemigas) Hadi Purnomo said CCS technology could pump remaining oil in old wells in Indonesia to the surface, increasing the country's oil production by 60 percent. 

The country's oil reserves stand at an estimated 61.1 billion barrels. 

A recent study by Lemigas shows that East Kalimantan and South Sumatra could be selected as potential candidates for CCS projects since many depleted oil and gas reservoirs are located near CO2 emitting sources, including an LNG plant in Bontang. 

Natuna Island is another potential site for CCS, Hadi said.

Indonesia, Finland to cooperate in fighting global warming

Depok, W Java, (ANTARA News) - Indonesia and Finland cooperate to fight global warming by planting trees in a forest within the area of the University of Indonesia (UI) in Depok, West Java, a statement recieved here Sunday. 

"The activity will be held on Monday, September 22. Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo, Finnish Ambassador to Indonesia Antti Koistinen and UI rector Gumilar Rusliwa Somantri are scheduled to take part in the activity," an official of Findland`s Embassy in Jakarta Ivan Alidjaja said. 

The activity, according to Alidjaja, is part of Planting Tree Global Day 2008--an event which will take place for 24 hours, starting from Tonga Island following the sun movement, trees will be planted in Asia, Europe, Africa and America. 

"Up to this moment, more than 1,100 schools in 13 countries had registered and committed to plant 300,000 plants. In this 2008 program, Indonesia will participate for the first time," Alidjaja said. 

"The aim of the program is to increase people`s awareness of environmental issues and affirmed the importance of trees to fight global warming," he explained, adding the activity is also a symbol of Indonesia-Findland cooperation in forestry and education. 

By the tree planting program in UI, Alidjaja added, Indonesia will take part in efforts to reach at least 1 million trees by the end of 2008. 

"The long-term goal of the program is to plant 100 million trees all around the world before 2017," Alidjaja said.

RI to begin forest carbon projects

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 06/17/2008 10:05 AM

Indonesia is expected to be the first nation to carry out forest carbon projects to help combat climate change thanks to a newly launched forest carbon partnership with Australia.

Under the partnership agreement, signed by the two country's leaders in Jakarta on Friday, Australia will help Indonesia develop mechanisms needed to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD).

"With this partnership, we are upbeat and ready to carry out the first REDD demonstration activity, hopefully in August. Australia will help us implement a REDD project in Central Kalimantan forests," Soenaryo, a senior official at the Forestry Ministry, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

"This project is vital because the world is watching to see whether or not the REDD concept can be used as a legal mechanism to slash greenhouse gas emissions."

Germany, Britain, Japan, Spain and Norway have also submitted forest partnership proposals to conduct REDD projects with Indonesia, Soenaryo said.

"We will sign a forest partnership with the German government in the near future," he said.

The REDD concept was adopted during the UN-sponsored climate change conference in Bali last year where negotiators from 190 countries held intensive talks on cutting carbon emissions, recognized as the main contributor to global warming.

The Bali meeting required forestry countries first to perform demonstration projects and build REDD mechanisms to be examined in a Copenhagen meeting next year.

One aim of the Copenhagen conference on climate change is to determine whether the REDD concept can be adopted as one of the legal mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gas emissions when the Kyoto Protocol commitment ends in 2012.

Under the Kyoto Protocol, rich nations, except the United States, are bound to cut emissions by about 5 percent. The protocol allows only the clean development mechanism and forestation/reforestation projects as legal mechanisms for developing nations to take part in emissions cuts.

Developing nations, which are the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, will be able to trade their carbon with rich nations to receive financial incentives based on tons of carbon reductions.

Indonesia is the third-largest forestry country in the world, with 120 million hectares of tropical forests.

The forest carbon partnership signed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd focuses partly on policy development and capacity building to support participation in international negotiations and future carbon markets.

Australia will help Indonesia develop a forest carbon accounting mechanism and set up a monitoring system.

"Australian experts will help Indonesians with calculating carbon emissions stocked in forests. This skill is important because it will enable us to compute the potential financial incentives through REDD projects," Soenaryo said.

He said carbon emissions from projects that avoid deforestation would be traded on a voluntary basis because there was no international legal treaty on REDD projects.

Australia will also set up monitoring stations to check forest conditions after the implementation of REDD projects, he said.

Many have expressed concerns about possible leaks in the implementation of REDD projects.

Australian former prime minister John Howard pledged a total of A$240 million last year to curb deforestation in Southeast Asia.

The fund included a promised A$30 million to plant 100 million trees in Borneo.

But Greenpeace Indonesia activist Arif Wicaksana expressed doubt the partnership could stop rapid deforestation in Indonesia.

"We want the government to take real actions to stop deforestation including imposing a forest moratorium and avoiding overlapping permits for forest use.

"The partnership gives no clear targets on how to stop deforestation," he said.

Arif urged the Australian government to also help improve the condition of Papua New Guinea's forests, which he said had been destroyed to meet high Australian demand for forest products.

He said he doubted Australia's capacity to calculate forest carbon.

"So far, there is no valid mechanism in the world on how to calculate carbon in the forests," he said.

RI to get $2b in loans from World Bank for development

The Jakarta Post, Sat, 05/03/2008 11:14 AM 

The World Bank will lend US$2 billion for the country's development programs this year, the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) announced Thursday.

The government could receive even more loans than those previously promised, according to Bappenas director for international financing Dewo Broto Joko Putranto.

"The (additional) loans can be included as loans allocated for 2009," said Dewo, as quoted by Antara.

The board will wait until it learns the exact amount needed to plug this year's state budget deficit before determining how much to propose the World Bank allocate.

World Bank spokesman Randy Salim said the $2 billion in loans would be divided into program loans and project loans.

"About $1.2 billion of the loans will be spent on programs related to climate change, education and infrastructure policy development," Salim told The Jakarta Post.

"On top of this amount, there is another $400 million in programs related to poverty alleviation."

The remaining $400 million, he said, would go toward developing roads, dams and flood-control projects and improving tax administration.

"Indonesia and the World Bank are also negotiating $300-$400 million in additional loans for infrastructure development," Salim said.

This month the World Bank will release its "Infrastructure Development Policy Loan", in which some $200 million will be channeled to support infrastructure improvement in Indonesia.

In a related development, the director general for state debt management, Rahmat Waluyanto, said the government would get an additional $2.9 billion in program loans this year, as reported by Antara.

Of this amount, $1.1 billion would come from the Asian Development Bank and $500-$600 million from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).

Waluyanto said part of the JBIC loan would be spent on programs related to climate change.

"About $1.2 billion worth of the loans will be used to plug the state budget deficit this year," Waluyanto said. (JP/rff)

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Indonesia must adopt new 'clean coal' to halt global warming

Sylvia Darmaji, Analyst , The Jakarta Post | Wed, 04/30/2008 1:10 PM

Indonesia, the world's biggest thermal coal exporter, should adopt new technologies to overcome the threat of global warming.

In the wake of emerging economies, the demand for energy sources has increased over the last few years. Oil prices have grown 194 percent since early January 2007, reaching a record high of US$119.4 per barrel in April 2008.

Consequently, the price of oil substitutes have matched pace, with the price of Newcastle coal rising 248 percent over the same period amid supply strains.

Despite these numbers, coal producers and exporters are seeking even higher prices, especially for higher grade coals, valued around $300 per ton.

Coal consumers, including steel corporations and power companies, have shown little concern for the more than doubling of their 2008 coal supply costs.

Recently, Australia agreed to supply thermal coal to Japan at a premium price of $125 per ton, while China demanded a minimum $135 per ton.

In response to the threat to the environment, many countries signed the Kyoto Protocol with the objective to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The participating countries agreed to either reduce their carbon dioxide emissions along with five other greenhouse gases or, if their output levels remained the same or increased, to engage in emissions trading.

In accordance, China has closed 83 small coal-fired generators with an aggregate capacity of 4.7 million kilowatts, 36 percent of what is needed to achieve their target to reduce emissions by 13 million kilowatts during the first three-and-a-half months of 2008.

Eventually, the generators will be replaced by larger and more efficient plants.

National coal production has almost doubled since 2003 to more than 210 million tons last year, 75 percent of which was exported.

Around 85 percent of Indonesia's coal, including 7 billion tons in reserves and an estimated 61 billion tons unmined, is considered to low grade, requiring greater volume per unit of power produced.

Clean coal, one of many alternative fuels under development, is created by gasifying, washing or burning standard coal to remove sulfur dioxide, minerals and impurities. The coal is then re-burned to recover the carbon dioxide. The technology has been seen to enhance efficiency and reduce emissions, and many believe it is the solution to global warming.

Although there are no coal-based power plants in commercial production able to capture all carbon-dioxide, some collection prototype systems are already being tested in plants around the world, while pilot projects are underway to add further improvements.

A study conducted by the International Energy Agency on greenhouse gases found building a coal power plant that could capture carbon dioxide would cost 36 percent more than standard variants.

While Indonesia is building quite a number of coal power plants to meet electricity demands, it should bare in mind the consequences of over usage.

Analyses on cost-benefits must be performed before building more standard coal stations, because the reduction of emissions should be our main priority.

The writer is an analyst at Bahana Securities

UN issues first green certificate for RI

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 03/25/2008 11:20 AM 

After two years, the United Nations has issued the first saleable "certificates of emissions reduction" (CERs) to Indonesia's publicly listed cement maker, PT Indocement Tunggal Prakarsa Tbk. 

The UN executive board on climate change issued a total of 17,635 CERs to Indocement's alternative fuel projects on March 14. 

"It is good news for Indonesia. Hopefully, more companies will be encouraged to switch to greener projects to tap into cash from the carbon trade scheme," Prasetyadi Utomo, secretary of Indonesia's designated national authority (DNA) on Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) told The Jakarta Post on Monday. 

Under the CDM, projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to sustainable development can earn saleable CERs. 

Countries with an emissions reduction or limitation commitment under the Kyoto Protocol can use the CERs to meet part of their obligations under the protocol. 

The certificates can be traded to 36 highly industrialized nations which have legally binding emissions limitation and reduction commitments. A CER currently sells for between 13 and 15 euros. 

The UN will also issue 23,474 CERs to PT Indotirta Suaka Bulan Farm on Tuesday. The company's project, located on Bulan Island near Batam, involves methane capture and combustion from swine manure and is expected to cut 166,000 tons of emissions per year. 

Prasetyahadi said the UN had informed Indonesian environmental officials of a plan to issue another 63,332 CERs to Indocement on Wednesday. 

DNA data shows PT Indocement registered two projects that reduce emissions through the use of alternative fuels such as biomass, rice husks, sawdust and used tires. 

The projects were developed in cooperation with the World Bank. 

The issued CERs are transferred electronically from the CDM Registry through an international transaction log, administered by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat, to national emissions registries. 

As of March 1, the UN had issued CERs to 306 projects, mostly in China and India, totaling 126.6 million CERs. 

The CDM is expected to generate more than 2.6 billion CERs by the time the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol ends in 2012. 

The UN has said there are currently more than 948 registered CDM projects in 50 developing countries, and another 2,000 projects in the registration pipeline. 

The government has so far approved 47 CDM projects, of which half were registered this year following the UN climate change conference in Bali. 

Among the approved projects are a fuel switching project conducted by PT Asahimas Flat Glass Tbk at its flat glass manufacturing facility in Sidoarjo, PT Gikoko Kogyo Indonesia's gas flaring project in Palembang and a waste recovery project in Ubud, Bali.

Bekasi Goes Green

Bahasa (Indonesian)

World Bank - Bekasi, March 3, 2008 – If there is any city in the island of Java that deserves to be recognized for its progressive, green-minded approach to sustainable development, that city would be Bekasi. A city of two million people just east of the capital, Bekasi has become the first city in Java Island to enter into an emission reduction purchase agreement that promises both environmental and social benefits.

The agreement entails the set-up of a gas-flaring facility at Bekasi’s Sumur Batu landfill, which generates up to seven hundred cubic meters of solid waste each year. The flaring technique essentially traps the methane gas resulting from solid waste, and goes a long way in reducing the number of climate pollutants deriving from Bekasi. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is potentially 21 times more harmful than CO2, the main contributor to global warming. The flaring facility will be built by PT Gikoko Kogyo Indonesia, an engineering company that specializes in clean air technology, and is scheduled to be operational by the end of March.

The World Bank, acting as a trustee of the Netherlands Clean Development Mechanism, will help provide the social benefit component. Under the agreement for Bekasi city, the World Bank will purchase 250,000 tons of CO2-equivalent of Certified Emissions Reductions (CER) each year, for the next 15 years. In the global carbon market, one CER is equal to one ton of CO2 and is priced between US$5 to $10. From the deal signed between the World Bank and PT Gikoko, seventeen percent of the revenues generated would towards developing Bekasi.

“Seven percent of the revenues will support community development in Sumur Batu,” said Bekasi city secretary Tjandra Utama Effendi in a press conference after the signing ceremony. “Another 10 percent of the revenue will be added to the local budget.”

The Bekasi gas flaring project is only the second of its kind in Indonesia. Last year, the World Bank facilitated a similar agreement to a landfill in Pontianak, West Kalimantan. Another such project is currently being prepared in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

WB, firm deal on carbon trading

Adianto P. Simamora , The Jakarta Post , Bekasi | Tue, 03/04/2008 11:11am

The World Bank and PT Gikoko Kogyo Indonesia signed an agreement Monday to develop an eco-friendly project that will trap climate pollutants released from the Sumur Batu sanitary landfill in Bekasi.

Under the agreement, the World Bank, acting as trustee of the Netherlands' Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Facility, will purchase 250,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year for 15 years.

"This project, together with the growing number of CDM projects in Indonesia, is an indication of the critical role the country is playing in addressing climate change," Joachim von Amsberg, World Bank director for Indonesia, said during the launch ceremony here.

The daily management of the landfill gas flaring project, aimed to harvest methane gas from solid waste in Sumur Batu landfill, would be run by Gikoko.

"The CDM enables Gikoko and Bekasi municipality to enter into private-public partnership in waste management to convert a liability with investment into a cash stream utilizing the Kyoto Protocol," said Joseph Hwang, production director of Gikoko.

Methane is a greenhouse gas that is potentially 21 times more harmful than CO2, the main contributor to global warming.

Carbon trading is part of the Kyoto Protocol allowing developing countries, including Indonesia, to reduce emissions.

The host of the CDM project will receive certified emission reduction (CER) credits issued by the United Nations executive board. The credits are traded in 38 developed nations that have the obligation to cut emissions between 2008 and 2012 by 5.2 percent below their 1990 levels.

The government of the Netherlands, which purchased the credits from the Bekasi landfill, is among the developed countries which are required to cut their emissions under the Kyoto Protocol.

One CER credit is equal to one ton of CO2 priced between US$5 and $10.

The UN Executive Board has approved 819 carbon reduction projects worldwide to begin in October -- 34 percent in India and 15 percent in China.

Indonesia, which ratified the Kyoto Protocol in 2004, listed only nine projects with the executive board. The government has so far approved 40 carbon trading projects. Most of them are related to the energy sector.

The UN reported that developing countries produced nearly 450 tons of CO2 and CER credits in 2006, with China still leading at 61 percent of the total.

The World Bank said the global carbon market was worth less than $1 billion in 2004 but skyrocketed to $11 billion in 2005 and to more than $30 billion last year.

The Bekasi administration said 7 percent of the funds generated from the carbon trading project would be used to develop communities living near landfill areas.

"The revenue will support community development in Sumur Batu. In addition, 10 percent of the revenue will be added to the local budget," Bekasi city secretary Chandra Utama Effendi said.

He said the Sumur Batu landfill received about 700 cubic meters of solid waste per day in the 10,000-hectare area, located along the northeast border of Bantar Gebang which belongs to the Jakarta administration.

Gikoko also expressed concerns about the United Nation's bureaucracy in validating the CDM project.

"The bureaucratic process is still too long. We have to wait about six months for validation to determine whether or not the UN approves the project. We hope the UN can improve its efficiency and encourage more private companies and local administrations to host CDM projects," Hwang said.

Mall to introduce green lifestyle

The Jakarta Post

JAKARTA: To celebrate its 15th anniversary, Mal Ciputra shopping mall in West Jakarta is holding a "Go Green" event through Feb. 26.

The event is meant to boost public awareness of environmental issues, especially global warming.

Featured activities include a photography exhibition, talk shows and information on how to make fertilizer and herbal medicine, as well as a drawing competition for children on Sunday.

Philips launches energy saving campaign

Dicky Christanto, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar

PT Philips Indonesia, an electronic appliances manufacturer, on Tuesday conducted an energy saving event at a Denpasar elementary school, hoping to increase awareness on the importance of using energy smartly and efficiently, as well as on the issue of global warming.

"We choose schools because there is the very future of our civilization, the children. Therefore, we feel obliged to tell them not to waste energy, starting with how to choose energy-saving lamps for daily usage," marketing director and vice president of Philips Lighting Asia Pacific , Frank Spikker, told reporters.

He said by consistently using eco-friendly lighting products, consumers were joining the global fight against global warming.

The event was held at Pemecutan elementary school in Denpasar. The program, which included a drawing contest, free eye exams for the students and the presentation of lighting products and a cash donation to the school, was held in parallel with company promotional event at a nearby shopping mall.

More than 20 lighting products and as much as Rp 10 million were donated to the school.

The schoolchildren eagerly participated in the event, particularly when a company representative led them in singing children's songs.

Principal I Wayan Patra Yasa praised the company for organizing the event.

"I really hope that a big company like Philips can support us more in conducting the education process here," he said.

A senior marketing manager at the company, Hendra Kresna, said a team from the company had been tasked with monitoring its energy saving campaign.

"We will not stop here, there are still many cities and places we have to visit. It is our contribution to the global fight against global warming," he said.

The company has allocated US$1 billion to improve eco-friendly technology through its research and development department up until 2012, almost three times higher than the 400 million euros it allocated in the past five years.

Govt bans import of 2 ozone foes

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government has banned imports of two ozone depleting chemicals -- chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and methyl bromide (CH3Br) for non-quarantine and pre-shipment use -- starting this month, much earlier than the deadlines set by the international treaty on ozone layer protection.

Indonesia, a party to the Montreal Protocol on ozone-layer protection, has the mandate to stop the use of CFCs by 2010 and methyl bromide by 2015.

"We decided to accelerate the phase-out schedule since many of our industrial players have shifted to ozone-friendly substances," State Environment Ministry ozone unit head Tri Widayati told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

The ban has made Indonesia one of first few countries in the region to beat the deadline.

Chlorofluorocarbons are commonly used as refrigerants, cleaning solvents, in aerosol sprays and as a blowing agent for plastic foam. While methyl bromide is fumigant used to kill soil-borne pests and diseases in crops prior to planting, and as a disinfectant in commodities like stored grains or commodities awaiting expert.

Tri said many food-related business currently used more ozone-safe substances like Phosphine.

"The state-owned logistics agency (Bulog) previously used large amounts of methyl bromide at their warehouses but have replaced it with Phosphine since several years ago," she said.

She said business players could promote good housekeeping in their warehouse by avoiding the use of chemical-based products, including Phosphine.

"We still allow imports of methyl bromide for quarantine and pre-shipment use because there are no alternatives on the market yet," she said.

Tri said alternatives for CFCs are ready in local markets, namely Hydrocarbons (HCs), Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). The HCFCs cause no damage to the ozone layer but have a high global warming potential.

Indonesia imports all ozone depleting substances from China, Belgium and India, except for Hydrocarbon that is produced locally by the state-owned oil and gas company, Pertamina.

Many have remain reluctant to use HCs as a refrigerant for safety reasons.

China, the world's largest producer of the CFCs and halon, shut down five of its six remaining plants last year.

The remaining production of some 500 metric tons per year is being kept strictly for the production of CFCs for metered-dose inhaler used in the treatment of asthma and chronic constructive pulmonary disease.

The government said earlier that illegal imports of ozone-depleting substances remained high in Indonesia, due to the sharp disparity prices with the ozone friendly substances.

"We made it a priority to provide training for Customs officers about ozone-depleting chemicals," Tri said.

Data from the ministry shows that national consumption of CFCs has dropped from 9,000 metric tons in 1996 to 2,000 metric tons in 2005, while consumption of methyl bromide has dropped from 140 metric tons in 1994 to 32 metric tons in 2005.

Tri said the government would require importers to label imported methyl bromide for pre-shipment.

Indonesia has also banned imports of halon, methyl chloroform and carbon tetrachloride except for laboratory use, since 1998.

Halon is mainly used in fire protection applications while carbon chloroform and carbon tetrachloride were used among others as industrial solvents for cleaning and inks.

Hydrogen Production

OCEES International, Inc. intends to leverage its extensive experience into the development of floating OTEC platforms within the tropical region of the planet, utilizing existing oil platform technology, to support an operational OTEC system incorporating its natural synergies for providing energy to a hydrogen electrolysis and liquefaction plant.

Liquefied hydrogen can then be shipped via existing technology to the industrial market centers of the world to supply a transportation fuel and fuel source to an impending hydrogen based economy.

OTEC’s greatest potential is to supply a significant fraction of the fuel the world needs by implementing large, floating platforms and or grazing plant ships to produce hydrogen or other suitable transportable energy carriers.

Proposed First Installation Locations

There are two possible reasonable candidates for commercial scale installations of OTEC hydrogen plants.

One of these is on an offshore platform off the coast of a suitable tropical island installed in 3,000 feet of water. In an arrangement similar to that of the Iceland Hydrogen Project; a car company, an energy company, and OCEES International, Inc. with local government participation would form a consortium to build and operate a 100 MW OTEC hydrogen plant.

The LH2 produced would be used to power fuel cell equipped cars and buses in a demonstration of environmentally friendly technology.

Another immediately possible OTEC hydrogen project is to use one or more existing oil platforms in water depths greater than 3,000 feet in the Gulf of Mexico. As these newer generations of deep platforms exhaust the oil reservoir at their particular location they can be transformed into OTEC hydrogen production platforms. This would be a more economical approach than removing these platforms. The cost of an OTEC hydrogen system under these conditions would be approximately 25% less than one which requires the construction and deployment of a new platform.

It should also be noted that the design of these deep off-shore oil platforms could in the first instance incorporate a small (3 to 4 MW) OTEC plant to power the oil drilling and pumping functions as well as provide fresh water and air conditioning.

Such a design would significantly reduce the present supply requirements from shore for these offshore installations.

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