The meeting was a follow-up to the 13th annual meeting of GCF members in February 2023 in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, Regional Secretary of West Papua Dance Sangkek said in Manokwari, Monday,
"The regional meeting takes place in Manokwari as the provincial capital," Sangkek remarked.
He noted that the meeting was intended to formulate mitigation measures for climate change that are of national and international concern.
Currently, West Papua has implemented sustainable development policies in the process of regional development. This is in accordance with national and global policies in achieving sustainable development goals, he said.
"At every annual meeting, West Papua is always present and synergizes in actions to address climate change and protect the tropical forests," Sangkek explained.
He noted that West Papua comprises seven districts, with an area of approximately 60,338 square kilometers, and is one of the areas with the largest tropical forest in Indonesia spanning 5,545,976 hectares, or 91.91 percent.
West Papua has been involved in various environmental preservation activities and joined as a member of the GCF Task Force in 2012.
West Papua GCF regional meeting coordinator Charlie Danny Heatubun explained that the regional meeting, held in Manokwari, was attended by the Global GCF Coordinator William Boyd, Mexico GCF Coordinator Silvia Liamas, Indonesia GCF task force delegation, non-GCF member government delegation, central government, development partners, and private sectors.
The Indonesian GCF member task force delegation includes those from Aceh, North Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, Papua, and West Papua.
"The GCF Task Force is the governor's task force for climate and forest. Its members consist of provinces or states that have forests. The GCF was formed by Arnold Schwarzenegger, the former governor of California," he explained.
In addition to the panel discussion formulating mitigation measures, Heatubun said, the agenda for the meeting will include a tourist visit to Kampung Kwau, Mokwam, Manokwari District.
Kampung Kwau is an example of a village that implements the concept of conservation in the utilization of natural resources, that is rearing of birds through smart management.
"How the people of Kampung Kwau use the forest, and there are bird watching tours and other birds," he said.
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Translator: Fransiskus Salu Weking, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Tia Mutiasari
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