"We highly welcome the leadership of Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya in managing peatland in Indonesia. In this regard, we are ready to support ITPC, particularly its funding," the Environment and Forestry Ministry quoted Tsering as saying in a press statement released on Friday.
Tsering said he was aware of the importance of ITPC implementing its programs soon, particularly those related to the mechanism of inter-institution cooperation, and short-and long-term plans.
"We are highly motivated to cooperate and we are here to fully support ITPC to ensure the success of sustainable peatland management. For its part, let us focus and start the formulating of a proposal for activities," she said.
She expressed hope that ITPC would be able to serve as a main data and knowledge center for the management of peatland in the world and give inputs to policy makers and operating units engaged in peatland conservation.
Chief of the Research and Development and Innovation Board of the Environment and Forestry Ministry Agus Justianto said ITPC is aimed at ensuring that policy makers, practitioners and the public would have access to credible and legal information and analysis and all required instruments to design and implement tropical peatland conservation and management.
As a country, which has the third largest area of tropical peatland in the world after Brazil and Congo, Indonesia holds 30 percent of the world`s carbon.
After forest and land fires engulfed several parts of Indonesia in 2015, the government has renewed its commitment to prevent fires by offering incentives, upholding the law, applying effective land and forest governance, increasing coordination and synergy among stakeholders, and encouraging public participation.
Reporting by Virna P Setyorini
Editing by Suharto
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
