The inking of the MoU was undertaken by Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar and EPA's Administrator Michael Regal.
"We expect to be able to cooperate with EPA in implementing real action that will be beneficial for our country and this planet," Bakar remarked here Wednesday.
The MoU implements a framework for collaboration in various environmental issues.
These include climate change mitigation and adaptation, air quality management, water quality management, waste management, environmental education, environmental law enforcement, and circular economy approach.
The MoU is also intended to encourage the exchange of information between both nations.
Indonesia and the US have a long-standing history of cooperation in environmental issues. The MoU will intensify cooperation and mutual learning between the countries.
This MoU aligns with President Joko Widodo's instruction to give top priority to the issue of waste management, Bakar remarked.
Moreover, she explained that most of Indonesia's environmental regulations are inspired by EPA's regulations that became an academic reference point for Indonesia's environmental regulations since the start of the 2000s.
Regal stated that EPA is proud to be able to cooperate with the ministry to advance the collective goal of protecting human and environmental health.
This MoU reflects Indonesia's and US' commitment to cooperate in handling global environment challenges that the two countries face today and will certainly do so in the future, he affirmed.
This MoU was developed on the basis of the existing partnership between the ministry and EPA under the United States-Indonesia Strategic Partnership founded in 2015 to improve bilateral relations to a higher level.
The MoU also exists to support the implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change that had been ratified by the two countries.
Next, the ministry and EPA will form a joint working group to develop an action plan and coordinate activities under the MoU that will apply for five years and can be extended with collective agreement.
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Translator: Sugiharto P, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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