We maintain our position and our impartiality, free and active politics, in accordance with the ConstitutionJakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's environmental diplomacy became apparent when Environment and Forestry (LHK) Minister Siti Nurbaya stood in front of a lamp that formed the words "G20 Indonesia 2022" welcoming representatives of G20 member countries and international organizations.
At the G20 Joint Environment and Climate Ministers' Meeting (JECMM) in Nusa Dua, Bali, at the end of August 2022, Indonesia's free and active politics was manifested when the Indonesian minister of environment and forestry welcomed the ministers of the environment and climate, both from developed and developing countries.
The meeting resulted in a 50-paragraph chair summary covering environmental issues and climate change, an agreement that took quite a long time to be agreed upon by all parties.
Earlier, three director general-level meetings were held: the Environment Deputies Meeting and Climate Sustainability Working Group (EDM-CSWG) in Yogyakarta in March 2022 and in Jakarta, June 2022, while the third and final EDM-CSWG meeting was held in Bali in August 2022, the day before the G20 environment and climate ministers met at JECMM.
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At the three meetings, several priority issues discussed were supporting sustainable recovery, increasing land- and sea-based actions to support environmental protection and climate change control, as well as increasing resource mobilization.
"The discussion journey is quite difficult, considering the various views and implications for the interests of each member country," Minister Nurbaya stated.
The meeting finalized several agreements on environmental issues, including reducing the impact of land degradation and drought; increasing protection, conservation, and restoration of sustainable land and forest ecosystems; enhancing cooperation between various parties, and efforts to reduce pollution and environmental damage.
The topic related to water has also become one of the important issues for which an agreement was reached, specifically integrated sustainable water management.
There is also an agreement on climate issues, such as strengthening climate action, the role of budgeting for recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to improve climate mitigation and adaptation, and commitments to prevent losses and damage from climate change.
Following the Glasgow Dialogue, the forum agreed to increase research, local, and regional initiatives to address climate issue; involve vulnerable groups; and strengthen engagement in maritime and climate change dialogue at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The forum also discussed the issue of environmental funding to encourage sustainable funding to deal with climate change.
At the JECMM, which was attended by 362 delegates both physically and virtually, Indonesia positioned itself as a liaison to deliver the aspirations of developing countries to developed countries.
Even at the opening of the JECMM, Indonesia highlighted the need for a multilateral approach in dealing with environmental and climate issues to ensure that developed and developing countries were in an equal position with aspirations that must be taken into account.
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Hence, for the first time, Indonesia, as the holder of the G20 Presidency, invited representatives from organizations of countries outside the G20, such as the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and the African Union.
“We maintain our position and our impartiality, free and active politics, in accordance with the Constitution,” the minister disclosed.
The role of Indonesia’s Presidency in G20 to encourage collaboration on environmental and climate issues also drew praises from the international community.
Italian Director-General for European and International Affairs, Alessandro Modioano, lauded Indonesia’s leadership in the G20 to achieve ambitious results at the meeting.
In his speech as one of the troika of the G20, along with Indonesia and India, Modioano said he would continue to support achieving an agreement at the forum.
His side highlighted the need to convey a firm message to the international community regarding the importance of accelerating the implementation of existing commitments to maintain a healthy planet for shared prosperity, including conducting sustainable recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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JECMM Achievements
Director General of Climate Change Control (PPI) at the LHK Ministry Laksmi Dwanthi, who also chaired the EDM-CSWG meeting, remarked that the G20 environment and climate ministerial-level meeting issued a chair summary document. It contained two parts that reflected the situation of implementation developments, including geopolitical issues, while the second summary was the general agreements.
The series of EDM-CSWG and JECMM meetings produced 50 paragraphs for elements of environment and climate sustainability.
"The chair summary contains 50 paragraphs that had been agreed upon by the G20 member countries,” Dwanthi stated.
The chair summary does not only contain new commitments but also affirmations of commitments and ongoing efforts to push the agenda for controlling climate change and the environment.
Dwanthi also explained that G20 members would produce studies related to strengthening actions for sustainable ocean initiatives and ocean-based solutions to climate change.
At the event, the G20 environment and climate ministers expressed their keenness to produce a document to reflect the leadership and commitment of the G20 to take such steps.
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Indonesia has not forgotten the importance of the sustainable finance issue in order to ensure that various understandings related to the environment and climate can be achieved.
The mobilizing of funding resources is also one of Indonesia’s efforts to ensure that the climate change agenda in the country receives funding from the public, private sector, and other sources.
The issue of fulfilling funding commitments from developed countries to developing countries was also one of the highlights at the JECMM meeting.
Thus, Indonesia’s presidency is expected to become a momentum to affirm, accelerate, and strengthen existing commitments from the international community to realize real environmental diplomacy.
Indonesia's initiatives and participation in a series of activities show that this country does not only act as the host of the G20 forum but also emphasizes its strong commitment to contribute in building a sustainable world civilization.
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Reporter: Prisca Triferna V, Resinta S
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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