Ministry of Forestry works with World Bank to Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation
JAKARTA, June 23, 2011 – Indonesia’s Forestry Ministry has received a $3.6 million grant from the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, a multi-donor facility managed by the World Bank. The grant is contributing to Indonesia’s effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent by 2020, while maintaining economic growth.
“The aim of this collaboration with the World Bank and the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility is to contribute to developing Indonesia’s capacity for devising the National REDD+ Strategy,” said Mr. Tachrir Fathoni, Head of the Forestry Ministry’s Research and Development unit.
Since hosting the Bali Climate Change Conference in 2007, Indonesia has embarked on a variety of initiatives to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gases. A key initiative is the Government’s action on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation – known globally by the acronym of REDD. Under this initiative, developing countries like Indonesia can quantify into credits the amount of carbon emissions reduced by actions in the forest sector. These credits can then be sold to industrialized countries that need to reduce emissions to meet their own targets. This process helps protect the environment, reduces global warming and helps ensure a sustainable future income based on preserving forests and peat lands.
With a national REDD+ strategy, Indonesia will expand the scope of its activities from avoided deforestation and degradation, to include forest restoration, rehabilitation, sustainable management and/or reforestation. Countries like Indonesia could earn up to $1 billion annually, once the mechanism is in full swing.
“Indonesia is among the first forested, tropical countries to receive support from the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, showing that it is committed to meeting its target of reducing greenhouse gases – especially from deforestation and forest degradation,” says Stefan Koeberle, World Bank Country Director for Indonesia. “What happens with Indonesia’s forests will be critical for the future of global REDD efforts and forest carbon markets. Indonesia is already leading the way and setting an example for other countries to follow”
The various activities to be financed by the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility grant were revealed today in a workshop hosted by the Forestry Ministry. The important next steps will be:
- Analyzing the causes of deforestation and what needs to be done to reduce deforestation and greenhouse gases
- Consulting and reaching out to all stakeholders, including traditional communities
- Building the capacity of all institutions and stakeholders involved in the implementation of REDD activities
Participants of the workshop include the National Council for Climate Change (Dewan Nasional Perubahan Iklim), the REDD Task Force under the Presidential Working Unit for Development Monitoring and Control (Unit Kerja Presiden bidang Pengawasan dan Pengendalian Pembangunan), related government ministries, civil society and media.
Donors to the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility include Agence Française de Développement (France), Australia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States.
