Regarding the role and authority of the provincial and district and city governments, their authority in the conservation had been strictly regulated, which is the authority to manage large forest parks by the regional governmentJakarta (ANTARA) - Environment and Forestry Ministry highlighted the government's stance on the Bill on Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and Their Ecosystems, including nullifying need to regulate transference of conservation areas from central to regional government.
At a meeting with Commission IV of the House of Representatives here on Tuesday, Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya stated that Law Number 23 of 2014 on Regional Government stipulated that the authority of central and regional governments pertaining to conservation of biological natural resources and their ecosystems had been regulated.
Thus, there was no need to regulate transference in this bill that will revise Law Number 5 of 1990 on conservation.
"Hence, in the revision of Law 5 of 1990, we see no need to regulate the mechanism for delegating conservation areas from the central government to regional governments," the minister noted during the meeting.
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This is because conservation forests are the last defence of forest areas, and the delegation of authority can be made through cooperative procedures between the central and regional governments, deconcentration and/or devolution systems.
The minister explained that in Law No. 23 of 2014, the central government's authority had been stipulated with regard to forestry affairs and that the management of nature reserve areas and nature conservation areas, the sustainable utilization of conservation areas' environmental conditions, and the utilization of wild plant and animal species were the central government's authority.
Thus, the management was conducted by the ministry.
"Regarding the role and authority of the provincial and district and city governments, their authority in the conservation had been strictly regulated, which is the authority to manage large forest parks by the regional government," she noted.
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The provincial government is also given authority over implementing steps for the protection of wild plants and animals that are not protected.
She also highlighted views regarding the proposed division of the conservation status of wild plant and animal species into three categories.
Minister Nurbaya stated that the intended categorization would complicate the identification process, control of utilization, supervision, and law enforcement.
"The stipulation of wild plant and animal species' conservation status that has been regulated in Law 5 of 1990 focuses on aspects of protection and utilization, while the proposed categorization of wild plant and animal species' conservation status in the House of Representatives' initiated draft bill focuses on utilization aspects," she explained.
Thus, the government has set that wild plant and animal species remain under the protected and unprotected status.
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Translator: Prisca T V, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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