"I invite (local governments) to synergize and collaborate in achieving our national goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing climate resilience in realizing the welfare of the country and communities," Bakar stated at a national technical working meeting on climate change control.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture, Energy and Mineral Resources, and Home Affairs as well as provincial officials in forestry and environmental affairs.
Bakar expressed hope that the local governments would always exercise caution in conducting carbon trading to ensure that their activities are in accordance with the regulations.
The minister also urged them to prioritize efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and not become a tool for greenwashing.
The ministry encouraged local governments to maximize the potential for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) in all Indonesian forests.
Bakar affirmed that optimizing REDD+ allows local governments to obtain incentives, strengthen enabling conditions, and prevent the movement of carbon units overseas.
Related news: Indonesia continues using FOLU as instrument to achieve NDC target
This step aims to achieve Indonesia's nationally determined contribution (NDC) and FOLU Net Sink by 2030.
NDC is a document that contains action plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change.
In 2022, Indonesia delivered the enhanced NDC, with a target of reducing emissions by 31.89 percent, with its efforts and 43.20 percent, with international support.
Meanwhile, the FOLU Net Sink is a blueprint for reducing emissions in the forest and land use sector and for increasing carbon absorption.
The blueprint targets to reduce around 140 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) by 2030 from the forest and land use sector.
Based on Presidential Regulation No. 98 of 2021, local governments are involved in the efforts to achieve NDC targets through the implementation of climate change adaptation and mitigation by preparing, implementing, and evaluating action plans.
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Translator: Sugiharto P, Kenzu
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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