There's supposed to be compensation for taking care of these forests, which could be used to empower the communities who live near the forests.
Padang, West Sumatra (ANTARA) - Areas that sustain the forests, or the lungs of the planet, must be compensated by the global community, particularly industry-based ones that no longer have forests, West Sumatra Governor Mahyeldi said.

"We must take care of forests. But, on the other hand, the communities who reside by the forests live in poverty. There's supposed to be compensation for taking care of these forests, which could be used to empower the communities who live near the forests," he said, according to a statement issued in Padang on Friday.

He made the remarks during a coordination meeting with Sumatra governors in Pekanbaru, Riau, on Wednesday (June 30, 2022).

Forests, particularly protection forests, function as the planet's lungs, he said. The world needs them to reduce the greenhouse effect. Yet, other countries do not want to pay compensation for this facility.

In some cases, forests have impeded regional development, he pointed out. So many plans to improve the regional economy by paving roads could not be implemented because some of them involved encroaching protection forests.

Mahyeldi deemed carbon trade as a just solution for both sides—a country that maintains forests and an industrialized country that no longer has them.

"This is a fair trade," he remarked.

Moreover, Presidential Regulation Number 98 of 2021 about carbon economic value to achieve the national target of contributions and greenhouse emissions control in national development has been issued, he pointed out.

He said he expects the regulation to serve as a basis for Indonesia to seek compensation from other countries for the forests it maintains.

Riau Governor Syamsuar, who served as the host of the meeting, said that the suggestion would be listed and recommended to the central government.

"So many suggestions from Sumatra governors. These would serve as our recommendations for the central government," he remarked.

The meeting was also attended by Deputy Minister for Home Affairs, Jhon Wempi Watipo; expert staff at the National Development Planning Ministry, Oktorialdi; and director general of infrastructure funding at the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry, Herry Trisaputra Zuna.

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Translator: Miko Elfisha, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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