The event`s organizing committee had extended invitation to President Yudhoyono to open the conference that would bring together 800 forestry experts from all over the country, CIFOR spokesman Budhy Kristanty said in a press statement on Wednesday.
Budhy said the President was expected to deliver a keynote address about "Indonesian forests : future alternative to meet demand for food, wood, energy and Redd+".
The President would during the conference be accompanied by Norwegian Minister of Environment and International Development Erik Solheim, the Work Bank`s special envoy for climate change Andrew Steer, and British Minister of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Jim Paice, he said.
He said the conference would bring together 1,000 forestry experts across the country to discuss how Indonesia could always maintain rain tropical forests while at the same time ensuring its economic growth.
The plan to hold the conference was based on the fact that Indonesia was the world`s third largest home to rain tropical forests, he said.
"Globally, deforestation is currently contributing around 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. In Indonesia, the percentage can reach more than 60 percent, making it one of the world`s biggest greenhouse gas emitters," he said. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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