On Sunday, June 2, 2024, President Joko Widodo welcomed Norwegian Minister of Climate and Environment, Andreas Bjelland Eriksen, and his delegation to the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta to discuss Indonesia’s climate goals. This significant meeting underscored the ongoing partnership between Indonesia and Norway in tackling climate change, particularly in achieving the Forestry and Other Land Use (FOLU) Net Sink 2030 target.
The primary discussion revolved around the FOLU Net Sink 2030 target, which aims for a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from forestry and other land use. Minister of Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya Bakar, who accompanied President Jokowi, highlighted that Indonesia has already received substantial international recognition and financial support for its climate action efforts. She explained that the main goal discussed was the Forestry and Other Land Use Net Sink 2030 and that Indonesia had received a significant contribution, approximately USD 156 million, which is equivalent to around 30.2 million tons of carbon.
Minister Siti Nurbaya detailed the success of Indonesia’s efforts in reducing carbon emissions from 2020 to 2023. She noted that emissions had decreased by 945 million tons in 2020, 889 million tons in 2021, 875 million tons in 2022, and although the figures for 2023 were still being calculated, she anticipated that the decrease would be even lower due to the El Niño event that year. Despite these challenges, the emissions reduction remained well over 810 million tons annually, indicating that the reduction percentages were 48%, 43%, 41%, and approximately 40%, consistently exceeding the initial target of 31.89%. With international cooperation, the target could reach up to 43%.
At the same event, Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani emphasized the importance of good governance in managing environmental funds and highlighted Indonesia’s reputation as pivotal in attracting international support. She stressed that the trust generated toward governance and fund management based on results underscored that it was not only about the money but, most importantly, about Indonesia’s reputation for managing its own environmental sustainability, which is crucial for its people.
Norwegian Minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen expressed his admiration for Indonesia's significant achievements in reducing deforestation by 90% and its ambitious land rehabilitation efforts. He commented that Indonesia had made significant and outstanding progress in recent years regarding deforestation. The efforts in reducing deforestation by 90% and ambitiously rehabilitating towards the 2030 FOLU Net Sink target were accomplishments that he believed the world should and must recognize.
This bilateral meeting not only highlighted the fruitful cooperation between Indonesia and Norway but also reinforced both nations' commitment to addressing global climate challenges through impactful environmental governance.
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