"This One Two Trees program demonstrates the commitment of the upstream oil and gas industry to planting two million trees in 2023," Head of SKK Migas Dwi Soetjipto remarked during the launch event of the One Two Trees program in North Jakarta on Saturday.
According to Soejtipto, through the program, SKK Migas will plant 1.2 million trees for rehabilitating watersheds and restoring lands, while 800 thousand trees will be planted by involving the public in a community development program.
"We will surely involve the public in the program's tree-planting activities," he remarked.
The One Two Trees program's launch was marked by an activity of planting 10 thousand trees in the Mangrove Park, Jakarta, which was also carried out to commemorate the 2023 International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem.
The tree-planting program is expected to encourage all stakeholders in the upstream oil and gas industry to participate in making contributions to the government's efforts to reduce carbon emissions in order to preserve the environment for the future generations.
The SKK Migas head also reiterated that the government had set the target for the country to reduce carbon emissions by 29 percent by 2030 and further lower it to achieve the net-zero emission target by 2060.
Soetjipto then expressed optimism that the program's implementation would pave the way for SKK Migas, cooperation contract contractors, and related stakeholders to collaborate to support the government's efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
"Everyone working in the oil and gas upstream industry must plant two trees as a sign of care for the sustainability of the environment. We expect everyone in the industry to sustain the One Two Trees program in the hopes of encouraging the public to voluntarily emulate similar steps," he pointed out.
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Furthermore, he elaborated that the tree-planting program is being implemented with the objective of shifting the stigma about the industry rooted among members of the public.
"The public has been considering the upstream oil and gas industry as a carbon-emitting industry. However, today, we can prove to them that the industry has a concrete commitment to supporting efforts to rehabilitate the environment and reduce carbon emissions by planting trees," he remarked.
This year, SKK Migas is targeting to plant two million trees, thereby setting an even higher target as compared to the planting realization of 1.2 million trees in 2021 and 1.7 million trees in 2022.
As of the first semester of 2023, the industry has planted 446 thousand trees, or 22 percent of the set target. The planted trees are expected to absorb as much as 887 thousand tons of carbon emissions per year.
The target of planting two million trees is planned to be achieved by executing several activities, including the rehabilitation of watersheds as well as a community development program.
Moreover, to realize the program, SKK Migas will implement a reforestation program that will focus on the buffer zones of production or supporting facilities as well as a program dedicated to restoring the environment, including in the working area of the workers of the industry.
Meanwhile, Acting Secretary General of the Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Ministry, Dadan Kusdiana, commended SKK Migas and all related stakeholders in the industry for planting 10 thousand trees as a concrete action to reduce carbon emissions.
"This (program) constitutes a concrete effort of the oil and gas industry to contribute to reducing carbon emissions," he pointed out.
Kusdiana also highlighted the importance of ensuring that the planted trees will grow.
"The carbon emissions will only be reduced if the trees grow since dead trees will not change anything," he remarked.
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Translator: Benardy Ferdiansyah, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
Copyright © ANTARA 2023
