Ministry launches REDD website

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 04/18/2011

Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan launched on Monday Indonesia's official Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) program website, www.redd-indonesia.org.

Published in Indonesian, the website contains information regarding REDD implementation in the country, pilot projects, REDD-related regulations and other environmental information.

The website acts as a reference regarding REDD such as what REDD is and how it works.

It is also linked to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, among other social network sites.

Zulkifli launched the website at the 3rd IndoGreen Forestry Expo opening at the Jakarta Convention Center, Antara reported.

RI, Mexico to Cooperate On Climate Change Issues

Antara News, Saturday, December 11, 2010

Cancun, Mexico (ANTARA News) - Indonesia and Mexico have agreed to cooperate in the handling of climate change issues such on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) and climate change adaptation.

A Memorandum of Understanding on the cooperation was signed by Indonesian Environment Minister Gusti Muhammad Hatta and Mexican Environment Minister Juan Rabael Quasada on the sidelines of the Sixteenth Climate Change Summit here on Friday.

After the signing of the MoU, the Indonesian minister said Indonesia and Mexico would exchange experience in the handling of climate change issues.

"Mexico has its own speficic problems but it also sees that we are country playing a front line role regarding climate change," Hatta said.

He said that Indonesia would also learn a lesson from Mexico which had issued a list of an inventory on green house effects in its fifth national communication report.

In the meantime, Australia has declared itself a strong supporter of Indonesia`s efforts to address climate change and announced an allocation of $45 million to Indonesia as part of Australia`s $599 million fast start climate change financing.

According to Australian Embassy media release in its official website on Friday, Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said his country welcomed Indonesia`s strong leadership on climate change and the opportunity to build on Australia`s long-standing cooperation with Indonesia on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) and climate change adaptation.

"Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation - which accounts for 18 per cent of global emissions and more than 60 percent of Indonesia`s total emissions in 2005 - is critical to achieving a global outcome on climate change," Rudd said.

New funding of $30 million will extend support for our demonstration work in Kalimantan and accelerate joint work on Indonesia`s National Carbon Accounting System, taking Australia`s total support for Indonesia`s REDD+ efforts to $100 million.

Indonesia Gets $45 Million From Australia to Address Climate Change

Antara News, Thursday, December 9, 2010

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Australia Thursday announced an allocation of $45 million to Indonesia as part of Australia`s $599 million fast start climate change financing.

Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said that Australia welcomed Indonesia`s strong leadership on climate change and the opportunity to build on Australia`s long-standing cooperation with Indonesia on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) and climate change adaptation.

"Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation - which accounts for 18 per cent of global emissions and more than 60% of Indonesia`s total emissions in 2005 - is critical to achieving a global outcome on climate change," Rudd said as quoted on the official website of the Australian embassy in Jakarta, Thursday.

New funding of $30 million will extend support for our demonstration work in Kalimantan and accelerate joint work on Indonesia`s National Carbon Accounting System, taking Australia`s total support for Indonesia`s REDD+ efforts to $100 million.

Speaking at the United Nations Climate Change negotiations in Cancun, the Climate Change and Energy Efficiency Minister, Greg Combet, said that developing a national carbon accounting system is critical to providing credible evidence of emissions reductions.

"This will be a crucial part of our cooperation as it will enable Indonesia to monitor and measure the success of its efforts. Our existing support for Indonesia`s efforts positions Australia well to be a lead partner in the establishment of a new independent institution for forest measurement, reporting and verification in Indonesia," Minister Combet said.

Building on this strong cooperation on REDD+, Australia today also accepted an invitation from Indonesia to join the Indonesia REDD+ Partnership. This is an important opportunity for Australia to further support practical activities and work closely with other countries and multilateral organisations to coordinate support for Indonesia`s REDD+ efforts.

"We are pleased to accept the invitation to join the Indonesia REDD+ Partnership and this builds on the strong bilateral cooperation we launched together in 2008," Minister Rudd said.

New funding of $15 million will support Indonesia`s efforts to adapt to climate change, including to increase understanding of likely climate change impacts, and support the development and implementation of local adaptation responses.

"Indonesia`s many islands are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and this funding recognizes how critical the issue is," said Minister Combet.

This additional support for Indonesia is part of Australia`s $599 million climate change fast-start funding which was announced in June 2010.

Indonesia Merging Deforestation Rules to Spur Carbon Trading

Jakarta Globe, Fidelis E Satriastanti, March 24, 2010

A forest in South Sumatra. Indonesia has enacted three regulations to stem deforestation, and now wants to consolidate them to ease implementation and investment in carbon-trading schemes. (JG Photo/Afriadi Hikmal)

Less than a year after finalizing them, the government is set to untangle regulations aimed at reducing deforestation and forest degradation in a bid to attract carbon-trading investment.

Wandojo Siswanto, head of the climate-change working group at the Forestry Ministry, said the three regulations to be reviewed all cover the same ground, including demonstration activities, carbon-storage activities and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation procedures.

REDD is a United Nations initiative aimed at reducing carbon-dioxide emissions from deforestation and degradation. In the scheme, rich nations provide incentives for developing countries to preserve woodlands.

“We want to review [the regulations] so people have a better understanding which one to follow,” Wandojo said.

The regulations are to be combined into one because they are all tied to a single purpose.

Indonesia is the first nation to establish a legal framework for REDD, which has not yet been implemented at international level, Wandjojo said.

“We want to keep the lead in the world and also at the negotiation table, and we have been trying to look at troubles for investment” resulting from the regulations, Wandojo said.

“We want to make sure that this [new regulation] can be easily implemented,” he said.

He added that the review was expected to be finalized before the Mexico climate summit in November.

The World Bank says 20 trial schemes are in various stages of development in Indonesia. Banks, including Merrill Lynch and Macquarie Group of Australia, are among the investors.

Indonesia is also under increasing international pressure to curb deforestation, particularly illegal logging.

The fate of indigenous peoples will also be dealt with in the revised regulation, offering legal grounds for tribes struggling to claim forests as their homes and their main source of support.

The first regulation, issued in December 2008, focuses on pilot projects for REDD, simply known as demonstration activities.

The second regulation, issued last May, deals with technical implementation for the REDD mechanism, starting with developers, verifiers and certifications. The rule outlines the rights and obligations of those who have implemented the scheme.

The same month, the ministerial regulation for procedures on carbon-storage activities was issued. It details benefit-sharing of REDD proceeds by the government, developers and local communities.

Commenting on the planned revision, Andri G Wibisana, an expert on environmental law at the University of Indonesia, said that it was not about reviewing the regulations but determining the country’s position at the inter national level.

“It’s obvious that overlapping regulations need to be sorted out. However, this is not just about the ministerial regulations but rather on clarity of the whole mechanism,” Andri said.

“There are no specific regulations made for REDD, even at the international level. There’s no standard for the measurement, definition and so on.”

Agus Setyarso, executive chairman of the National Forestry Council, said the government had not been very clear on where it wanted to go when it initially issued the regulations.

“From the beginning, the council strongly criticized the regulations, especially on the benefit-sharing part, because it is no different from concessionaires’ rights [HPH],” Agus said.

“REDD is to encourage people to take the initiative and help the government reduce emissions,” he said.

“They are supposed to be given incentives, not disincentives like this. I mean that these people should be rewarded for protecting forests and not merely trading carbon.”

Indonesia's Palm Oil Industry Seeks New Standards

Jakarta Globe, Arti Ekawati, February 02, 2010

Palm oil and paper companies are among those on the environmental offenders list. (Photo: Dimas Ardian, Bloomberg)

The palm oil industry, which is regularly accused of being a major contributor to climate change, wants to develop a universally accepted measurement of the environmental impact of palm oil production.

Witjaksono Darmosarkoro, director of the state-run Indonesian Oil Palm Research Center (PPKS), said it was inevitable that agricultural activities would create carbon emissions, which contribute to global warming.

However, the sector was also responsible for removing some carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by planting new trees and there was a need for a clear measurement on the net effects of the industry in terms of carbon emissions, he said.

“Activities in the palm oil sector must be measurable, reportable and verifiable,” Witjaksono said on Monday, ahead of the International Conference on Oil Palm and the Environment in Bali from Feb. 23 to Feb. 25.

Palm oil stake holders would begin discussing the issue at the conference, which will be attended by government officials, palm oil producers and scientists, Witjaksono said.

Jean-Guy Bertault, regional director for Southeast Asian island nations at Cirad, a French agricultural research center, said there were many assumptions about carbon emissions from the palm oil industry.

Each country, palm oil producer and non-government organization has their own methodology to calculate the ecological, social and economic impacts of palm oil production, Bertault explained.

“How to protect biodiversity as well as how to use it economically? No one could answer that question, since everyone is using various methodologies,” Bertault said.

Environmental campaign groups such as Greenpeace blame the palm oil industry for driving deforestation, contributing to global climate change and endangering rare species such as orangutans.

Indonesia is the world’s biggest producer of palm oil, which is used to make everything from soap to cooking oil.

RI submits emission cuts target to UN

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 02/01/2010 10:23 AM

Indonesia has lodged an official report on its emission reduction target to the UN on Sunday as doubts remain over the possibility of countries to reach an ambitious deal this year.

In its seven-page report, Indonesia reaffirmed its pledge toe cut emissions by 26 percent from current levels by 2020 to combat climate change.

“We have met the deadline and confirmed our target in the report to the UN,” head of the National Council on Climate Change (DNPI), Rachmat Witoelar, told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

“Everything we promised in the report will be carried out.”

A non-binding Copenhagen accord set a Jan. 31 deadline for countries to confirm their participation in a deal brokered by the US in last month’s climate talks in Denmark.

The US, which rejected binding targets under the Kyoto Protocol, has also submitted its official report to cut 17 percent of emissions by 2020 from 2005 levels.

The Copenhagen accord was made after a deadlock on emission cut targets between rich nations and emerging economies to fight climate change. The accord stipulates that countries should limit the rise of global temperature by 2 degrees Celsius.

DNPI secretary Agus Purnomo said Indonesia’s report did not include details on how it would meet the 26 percent emission cut.

“We already have a detailed concept on how to meet the target. The report to the UN, however, only stipulates that emission cuts would be from seven areas,” he said.

The seven sectors include deforestation, peat land, sustainable energy sources, energy efficiency, public transport and waste management.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono vowed to cut emissions last year before the Copenhagen talks, making Indonesia the first developing country to promise to voluntarily cut emissions despite plans to increase country’s economic growth.

With the 26 percent commitment, Indonesia has to allocate Rp83 trillion to cut 767 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).

The Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) said that Sunday’s deadline for countries to lodge targets and details of emission reduction programs was opportunities for nations that pushed for the climate accord to show they were serious about it.

“Sunday is the self-imposed deadline for countries to lay out what they are actually going to do to keep the world out of the danger zone.” Kim Carstensen, leader of the WWF’s global climate initiative, said in a statement.

Carstensen said for the great majority countries, this implied a considerable increase in commitment so far.

“Emissions reductions on the table at Copenhagen were clearly setting us up for a world three or more degrees warmer, even without taking into account various large loopholes allowing for dubious emissions reductions claims and double counting of claims,” Carstensen said.

Meanwhile, UN climate chief Yvo De Boer said in Davos that he could not guarantee the upcoming deal in Mexico would reach the much-awaited legally binding treaty.

UK pledges £50m to tackle Indonesia deforestation

BBC News

The £50m will help educate Indonesians on climate change

The UK is to contribute £50m ($80m) to a project in Indonesia in the hope it will tackle climate change.

Large-scale deforestation makes the South East Asian country the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, after China and the US.

The money will be used to encourage palm oil manufacturers to grow new plantations on land already degraded instead of clearing new forest.

The Indonesian president has pledged to cut carbon emissions by 26% by 2020.

President Susilo Bambang Yudoyono has said Indonesia could cut emissions by up to 41% if the country was given international help.

The UK Department for International Development (DfID) said the funding was part of a £1.5bn ($2.4bn) commitment to a $10bn-a-year "fast start" global financial package to help developing countries address climate change and its impacts, which was agreed in Copenhagen last month.

The five-year partnership aims to educate the Indonesian public on how the forests in the country are used and to help them adapt to climate change.

It will also give palm oil companies money to help them offset extra costs from growing on less fertile, degraded land.

The equivalent of three football pitches of rainforest have been cut down every minute in Indonesia, which lost a third of its forest cover in the past 20 years, DfID said.

Protecting vital resources

Indonesia is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, with millions of people living in low-lying coastal areas and a high dependency on agriculture and natural resources.

It also has one-fifth of the world's coral reefs, which are threatened by rising sea temperatures and greater acidity caused by higher levels of carbon dioxide.

International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, said: "The impacts of unchecked deforestation in Indonesia will be felt across the world for years to come.

"Through this partnership the UK will stand side by side with the Indonesians to help manage their forests, protecting this vital resource for future generations."

Related Articles:

Indonesia Hopes to Complete Climate Action Plan Next Month

Indigenous people get ‘20%’ REDD money

Indonesia Plans $1 Billion Green Investment Fund

Jakarta Globe, January 26, 2010

The fund is intended to provide equity to help environmentally-friendly projects get bank loans. (JG Photo/Afriadi Hikmal)

Indonesia plans a $1 billion green investment fund this year to drive infrastructure developments that aid growth and help cut greenhouse gas emissions, a finance ministry official said on Tuesday.

Indonesia has promised to slash its emissions by at least 26 percent from business as usual levels by 2020 but recently re-elected President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has also vowed to boost economic growth to 7 percent or more by 2014.

At global climate talks in Copenhagen last month, Yudhoyono announced a plan to develop the Indonesia Green Investment Fund, which will catalyse infrastructure development that could speed economic growth, boost food and clean water production and also help cut emissions blamed for global warming.

Indonesia's sovereign wealth fund the Government Investment Unit will put $100 million into the fund and a further $900 million will come from foreign governments including Norway and Australia, plus institutional investors, said Edward Gustely, a senior adviser to the Ministry of Finance.

"We're in the initial stages but the target is to have this fund operational within this year," Gustely told Reuters, adding the fund would rival Brazil's Amazon Fund in size and scope. "There's no reason why this can't, in the next five years, scale to $5 billion or more."

Brazil launched its Amazon Fund last year to promote sustainable development and scientific research in the world's largest rain forest, with donations from European countries and the first projects unveiled last month.

Indonesia last year became the first country to launch a legal framework for a U.N.-backed scheme called Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation, allowing polluters to earn tradeable carbon credits by paying developing nations not to chop down their trees.

Indonesia's green investment fund will not offer loans or grants but rather top-up funding needed for projects where a bank lender is seeking an additional equity injection.

"Many technology providers and project sponsors don't have the balance sheet to top up the required equity needed to secure financing," said Gustely. "We would come in and play a catalyst role to ensure good projects with good asset quality, with good expertise and proper management, can be deployed and proceed."

The Copenhagen talks failed to achieve a legally binding agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but projects like the Indonesia Green Investment Fund were a way for countries to take initiative at home, said Gustely.

"This is driven by how to create more food, water and energy in a sustainable fashion while trying to achieve Indonesia's growth objectives," he said.

Fitrian Ardiansyah, climate change programme director for WWF Indonesia, welcomed the fund but said more needed to be done to reduce Indonesia's greenhouse gas emissions.

"The Indonesian government heavily subsidies fossil fuels, but investment in renewable energy sources is too expensive. The government must help the private sector by making investment in renewable energy sources cheaper, which will address the problem. But at the moment coal plants continue to be built, which does not help," he said.

Reuters

Reducing carbon emissions 26 pct needs Rp83.3 trillion

Antara News, Thursday, December 24, 2009 02:31 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Secretary of State Minister for National Development Planning/chief secretary of the National Development Planning Agency Syahrial Loetan said reducing carbon emissions 26 percent by 2020 would need Rp83.3 trillion.

"Our plan is that to reduce carbon emissions to 26 percent needs Rp 83.3 trillion up to 2020," he said in Jakarta Wednesday.

He said that to achieve the projected carbon emission reduction, the government has seven priority sectors.

The priorities include that the energy used would reduce carbon emission by one percent. The transportation and industrial sectors will support the reduction of carbon emissions respectively by 0.3 percent and 0.01 percent.

The agricultural sector is expected to reduce the carbon emissions by 0.3 percent, forestry by 13.3 percent, waste management by 1.6 percent, and peatland management by 9.6 percent.

He said that any donor institution with a commitment to take part in reducing carbon emissions in Indonesia, the government will raise the projected emission reduction to 41 percent by 2020.

"Donors with a contribution, our Corporate Social Responsibility may be set at 41 percent," he added.

Up till now, he said, commitments to the emission reduction program have yet to be better arranged. He said many countries had expressed interest in taking part in the program in Indonesia.

"As Indonesia has been assumed at one of the world`s lungs, but since we have yet to be arranged better, such as what had been offered for the program, the measures to be submitted, how to monitor them, we will try to see that all of them are transparent and accountable," he said.

Shell promotes CO2 technology

The Jakarta Post,  Thu, 03/05/2009 1:50 PM 

JAKARTA: As state run oil and gas firm PT Pertamina is selecting partners for the development of the Natuna D-Alpha gas block, the Netherlands-based Royal Dutch Shell Plc is promoting its technology which it claims is applicable to gas fields contaminated with high levels of CO2. 

PT Shell Indonesia's president director, Darwin Silalahi, said the company had been developing a combined technology to separate CO2 from natural gas. 

"We expect this combined technology will be able to deal with CO2 contaminated fields with the degree of contamination up to 90 percent." 

Shell is included in the list of eight candidates shortlisted by Pertamina all of whom are hoping to help develop the block. 

Located in the Riau Islands, the Natuna D-Alpha block is estimated to contain 46 trillion cubic feet of gas, making it the biggest gas reserve in Asia. However, it requires big investment and advanced technology as it contains 70 percent of CO2. - JP

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.

Airport plants trees

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

Soekarno-Hatta International Airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II started planting trees Saturday as part of a nationwide re-greening campaign.

In cooperation with the alumni association of the University of Indonesia, the company has plans to re-landscape 25 hectares at the airport and call it "Angkasa Pura II Forest".

"We've set a goal of planting 10 million trees ... to help (mitigate) climate change," said the company's president director Edi Haryoto.

He said the program was the brainchild of Sofyan Djalil, state minister for small and medium enterprises (center, planting a tree), who is also chairman of the alumni association.

The program began with some 36,000 saplings representing nearly one thousand different tree species.

While lawns and groves are often associated with exclusive clubs and housing estates, Sofyan spoke enthusiastically about a program that was for everyone. "There will be more than 500 million trees growing in the country in the next few years if we all start by planting at least one tree now.

"This initiative can help us combat global warming and reduce its impact."

Meanwhile, Edi said the green zones at the airport could serve the same function as a public park and would be suitable for jogging and bicycling.

New power plant might break down

DENPASAR (Jakarta Post): The absence of technology transfer in setting up the wind-powered plant on Nusa Penida Island, Klungkung regency, has raised fears the plant could not be repaired in the event of an accident.

"We fear officials will not be able to repair the plant if it suddenly breaks down. The problem is, when the plant's parts were purchased, they did not come with the necessary technology transfer," Harry Surjadi, executive director of the Society of Indonesian Environment Journalists, told Antara in Denpasar on Wednesday.

Eight parts of the plant's generator were reportedly set up ahead of a visit by delegates from the recent climate change conference.

"The plant should include transfer of technology, but what happened in Nusa Penida was simply a purchase deal," he said.

Hira P. Jhamtani, an activist from the Third World Network, also raised a similar issue, urging developing countries to demand transfer of technology from developed countries.

"With the existence of technology transfers, we can fix anything, including the power plant, when it breaks down," she said.

Transforming waste into energy at Suwung Garbage dump

Prodita Sabarini, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar

The foul smell of piling garbage at the largest landfill in Bali, the Suwung landfill, has been a source of disgust for the Balinese.

Thanks to technology, however, people on the island-province can now look forward to making use of their waste.

Home to household waste from four areas of Bali - Denpasar, Badung, Gianyar and Tabanan - the landfill receives as much as 800 tons of waste per day.

As two third of the waste is organic, it releases methane gas -- the source of the "foul smell" and is one of the greenhouse gasses that contributes to global warming - to the atmosphere.

The Bali administration, working with PT Navigat Organic Energy Indonesia (NOEI), set up an integrated waste management system at Suwung by building its first biogas plant.

The plant would capture methane gasses and turn it into energy in the form of electricity. The plant will also help rehabilitate the landfill site.

"By August 2008 the facility would be able to produce two megawatts for public use," PT NOEI spokesperson Bernt Bakken said Sunday.

The facility was launched by the Bali Governor Made Dewa Beratha on Dec. 13, sporting the momentum of the United Nations Climate Change Conference that ended on Dec. 15.

It is the first project in Bali carried out under the United Nation's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) -- a carbon trade scheme that enables a group of developed countries and countries in transition, which are binding for emission cuts to earn emission reduction credits by promoting sustainable development in developing countries.

Indonesia has 11 projects under the carbon trade scheme registered at the CDM executive board so far, with only two of them approved by the board.

The biogas plant project would reduce around 123,423 tons per year of the amount of methane gasses released to the atmosphere, cutting the greenhouse gasses that contribute to global warming.

Bakken said from 2010, the facility would produce 10 Megawatts of electricity.

State Electricity Company (PLN) has signed an agreement to buy power from the biogas plant.

PT NOEI uses a Jenbacher machine, distributed by GE Energy. GE Energy country executive Gatot Prawiro said waste-to-energy conversion was a good solution to provide energy in areas that has no access to the national power grid.

Bali is still dependent on Java for power supply, with 130 Megawatts of the 439 Megawatts needed to power Bali comes from the Paiton Power Plant in East Java.

Forestry Education Incentive Raised

Monday, 17 December, 2007 | 17:45 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The incentive for forestry education in 2007 has been raised to Rp250,000 from the previous year's Rp150,000 per month.

“We must continue trying to improve the performance of instructors,” said the Forestry Minister, Malam Sabat Kaban, in his opening speech during the transfer of operational vehicles for tutor officers in Manggala Wana Bakti Building, Monday (17/12).

During the event, the Forestry Department handed out 400 two-wheel operational vehicles to forestry instructor officers from throughout Indonesia.

With the additional 400 vehicles, the total of vehicles now already handed out amounts to 1,350 units, while the number of forestry instructors in Indonesia totals 4,059 people.

“We also need provincial and regency governments to support the mobility of the tutors,” said Kaban.

The duty of forestry instructors up to 2009 is a war campaign against illegal logging.

“The Forestry Department's priority is eradicating illegal logging in the state's forests,” he said.

During the 1990s, said Kaban, Indonesia's forests suffered degradation amounting to 1.8 million hectares per year.

“Now the damage has been reduced to 1.08 million hectares per year,” he said.

The general public must be directed to be more aware of the environment.

“If we want to make people plant trees, we must do it first, as an example,” said Kaban.

GABRIEL WAHYU TITIYOGA

Top RI scientists to increase expertise on climate change

Nusa Dua (ANTARA News) - Indonesia`s top environmentalist association and the Indonesian Environmental Intellectuals (Perwaku) expressed their intention to step up their expertise on Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and climate change and carbon credit issues in the country.

A press release made available to ANTARA News here on Saturday said during the signing of an MoU between Perwaku and Sindicatum Carbon Capital Asia Ltd (SCC) that SCC (special developer of projects relating to climate change) agreed to share knowledge and their expertise to Perwaku which was made up of scientists, intellectuals and Indonesian environmental academicians.

Perwaku also agreed that SCC Asia will involve scientists, its advisors and its executive personnel in efforts to participate in carrying out projects in Indonesia.

Marubeni plans carbon projects in Indonesia

Tokyo (ANTARA News) - Marubeni Corp, Japan's fifth-biggest trading company, plans to launch five to 10 carbon credit projects in Indonesia next year, reaping 3 million credits by 2012, a company source said on Friday.

Marubeni, jointly with the country's University of Lampung, plans to capture greenhouse gas methane generated from palm oil and sugar cane plants in South Sumatra for use in power generation, the company told Reuters.

Under the Kyoto protocol, countries can offset their carbon dioxide emissions by purchasing carbon credits in CO2-reducing projects in developing countries.

Japan is struggling to meet its target of cutting its emissions to 6 percent below 1990 levels, generating further need to buy credits.

President dedicates US$236 million worth of energy projects

Denpasar (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has dedicated four environment-friendly energy and mineral resource projects representing a total investment of US$236 million.

The four major projects, located in a number of areas in Indonesia, were dedicated by the president on the sidelines of the 13th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Tuesday.

The four projects are the development of Kamojang Geothermal Electricity Plant (PLTP) Unit 4 with a capacity of 60 MegaWatt (MW) in Bandung, West Java, to supply steam to PLTP PLN units 1, 2, and 3 whith a capacity of 140 MW; Lahendong thermal field in North Sulawesi with a capacity of 40 MW to supply steam to PLTP PLN unit 1 with a capacity of 20 MW and unit 2 with a capacity of 20 MW; Sibanyak project in North Sumatra; and Darajat project in Garut district, West Java.

The dedication of the energy and mineral resources ministry projects was attended by Energy Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro and a number of United Indonesia Cabinet ministers and governors.

Meanwhile, Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said Indonesia had potential geothermal energy sources of 27,000 MegaWatt (MW) or 40 percent of the world`s total reserves.

But to date only a small part of the country`s geothermal energy or 992 MW has been used, the minister said in his report to President Yudhoyono at a function marking the signing of a cooperation agreement on Carbon Capture Storage (CCS) between the energy and mineral resources ministry and Total E&F Indonesia in Nusa Dua, Bali.

Purnomo said the potential geothermal energy sources were expected to be developed gradually to produce clean and environment-friendly energy.

As such, geothermal energy was expected to meet the people`s need for electricity and at the same time improve their welfare.

Purnomo added that Indonesia had a total installed electricity generating capacity of 25,000 MW which would continue to be increased following the construction of power plants with a combined capacity of 10,000 MW in a number of location in the country.

Therefore, the energy minister expressed hope that high technology cooperation with various parties would emphasize fuel efficiency and new innovations in an effort to produce clean and environment-friendly energy.

Dutch minister visits Kalimantan to discuss deforestration, peatland and forest fires

Palangka Raya (ANTARA News) - Dutch Development Cooperation Minister Bert Koenders and his entourage arrived in Central Kalimantan`s provincial capital of Palangka Raya on Saturday to discuss matters related to deforestation, peat land and forest fires in the province with Governor Teras Narang.

"Kalimantan has serious problems related with deforestation, peat lands and forest fires, and thus we have offered our cooperation assistance to deal with them," Koenders said after being given a traditional welcome here.

Accompanied by a 16-member delegation, Koenders said he would continue to monitor developments in the solution of the forestry problem in Central Kalimantan.

The Dutch minister was visting Central Kalimantan on his way to Bali to attend the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) conference.

Forest and peat lands in Kalimantan, according to Koenders, were not only important for Indonesia but also for the rest of the world, and therefore they had to be managed well.

He said the Dutch government had extended financial assistance of around 2 million euro for a master plan to manage one-million hectares of peat land to prevent floods and forest fires.

In addition, he said, the Netherlands had also provided several non-governmental organizations from the two countries with 5 million euro to cooperate in empowering Central Kalimantan people living around forests.

"The master plan is important for natural preservation and biodiversity. Therefore, we want to ensure that the people in Central Kalimantan will lead a better life and benefit from forests," Koenders said.

Meanwhile, Governor Teras Narang said the assistance from the Dutch government for the peat land rehabilitation project would end in the middle of next year.

RI regrets some developed nations` stand on its REDD scheme

Nusa Dua, Bali (ANTARA News) - Indonesia on Friday expressed regret about some developed nations` stand on its newly-launched mechanism to collect funds through the Reduction of Emission from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) scheme.

Germany, Australia, Britain and the World Bank had not explicitly stated their commitment to the scheme, Agus Purnomo, executive chairman of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)`s organizing committee, said here Friday.

"It is like being invited to lunch by the developed nations. They play the perfect host .... But when the waiter present the bill, they say they had left their wallet at home. That is what happens to negotiations at the 13th COP to UNFCCC," he said.

Purnomo, who is also assistant to the Indonesian environment minister said all countries had a proportional role in the Kyoto Protocol whose derivatives include the REDD scheme. Under the protocol, developed nations were committed to providing rain tropical forest countries with funds.

"We deeply regret that the developed nations have yet to meet their commitment. As a matter of fact, developing countries like Indonesia have carried out a number of activities, including pilot projects expected to be funded through the REDD scheme," he said.

Wahyudi Wardoyo, chief of the forestry research and development board at the Forestry Ministry, said a number of developed countries had expressed support for the pilot projects to be carried out from 2008 to 2012 by providing funds.

"Two months ago, Germany, Australia, Britain and the World Bank expressed their commitment. But yesterday (Dec 6) when we launched pilot activities under the REDD scheme, they did not show their concrete support," he said.

The REDD scheme is expected to generate up to US$2 million annually through the sale of carbon stored in the country`s tropical forests.

Indonesian Forestry Minister MS Kaban said on Thursday Indonesia had been following developments around the REDD scheme since it began to be discussed a few years ago.

Under the REDD scheme, developing countries would market tons of carbon stored in their forests to developed countries who have the obligation to reduce greenhouse gas emission.

The Kyoto Protocol, which entered into force in 2005, laid down the practical commitments assumed by states party to implement the Framework Convention`s goal of mitigating global warming.

Indonesia, host of 120.3 million hectares of forest, will designate 37.5 million hectares of its forests for the REDD project. "If for each hectare of forest the payment is US$10 a year, Indonesia will gain US$3.75 billion every year," Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar said recently.