Why marine? Apart from this being a new topic in the UNFCCC dialogue, this is also in Presidential Decree 98/2021.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) has said that there is potential to add the marine sector to the second Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) document, which is currently being prepared by the Indonesian government.

"Why marine? Apart from this being a new topic in the UNFCCC dialogue, this is also in Presidential Decree 98/2021," director general of climate change control at KLHK, Laksmi Dhewanthi, explained during a press conference in Jakarta on Monday.

She said that the second NDC document could cover several sub-sectors of the marine sector that focus on managing coastal and marine ecosystems.

Indonesia's 2nd NDC document is targeted to be submitted to the UNFCCC Secretariat in August 2024, while the deadline is March 2025.

This is considering the potential that coastal ecosystems have in terms of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including mangroves and seagrass beds, because of their ability to store and absorb carbon.

Earlier, the Indonesian government had included the potential for above-ground carbon absorption by mangrove forest areas in the forestry and other land use (FOLU) sector in the first and updated, or enhanced, NDC documents.

"But we also have the potential for below-ground biomass or carbon," Dhewanthi said.

"This is currently being developed and the focus will be carried out by the marine sector, which is currently being carried out by baselining and later exercising is the seagrass ecosystem," she explained.

She said that the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is preparing a baseline or reference number of emissions, carbon storage potential, and emission reduction targets for the sector.

In Indonesia's first and updated NDC document, five sectors were targeted to contribute to reducing national GHG emissions — forestry, energy, agriculture, industry, and waste.

Overall, Indonesia is pursuing a national GHG emissions reduction target of 31.89 percent through its own efforts and 43.20 percent through international support by 2030.

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Translator: Prisca Triferna Violleta, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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