President Jokowi: Indonesia Is Ready To Share Successes In Overcoming Forest Fires

President Joko Widodo (Antara)

SKOTLANDIA - President Joko Widodo conveyed three views on forest management in Indonesia as an action to overcome climate change.

"First, our attention must cover all types of forest ecosystems, not only tropical forests, but also temperate and boreal climate forests," said President Jokowi when he was one of the speakers at the "World Leaders Summit on Forest and Land Use" at the Scotish Event Campus, Glasgow, Scotland reported by Antara, Tuesday, November 2.

According to President Jokowi, forest fires have an impact on greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity regardless of the type of ecosystem. The devastating fires in the Americas, Europe and Australia are also a common concern.

"Indonesia is ready to share experiences about its success in overcoming forest and land fires with these countries," added the President.

Furthermore, President Jokowi explained that regarding forest management, Indonesia has also changed its paradigm from forest product management to forest landscape management. This makes forest area management more comprehensive.

In addition, Indonesia is also carrying out restoration of mangrove ecosystems which play a role in absorbing and storing carbon. Indonesia has more than 20 percent of the world's total mangrove area, the largest in the world.

"Indonesia will also establish a World Mangrove Center in Indonesia," said the President.

Second, President Jokowi considers that an incentive mechanism must be provided for sustainable forest management.

"Certification and production standards must be accompanied by 'market incentives' so that they function to encourage sustainable forest management, not become trade barriers," added the President.

The President also emphasized that these certifications, methodologies, and standards must be based on parameters that are recognized multilaterally, not imposed unilaterally and fluctuate. Certification must also be fair so that it has an impact on welfare, especially for small farmers.

"Certification must also consider all aspects of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) so that forest management is in line with poverty alleviation and community empowerment," said the President.

Third, President Jokowi views the need to mobilize financial and technological support for developing countries. According to him, commitments must be made through concrete actions, not rhetoric.

The President said that providing assistance does not mean being able to dictate, let alone violating the sovereign rights of a country over its territory. Support should be "country-driven", based on the real needs of developing country forest owners.

"For Indonesia, with or without support, we will continue to move forward. We are developing innovative funding sources, including the establishment of the Environmental Fund Management Agency, issuance of 'green bonds' and 'green' sukuk, as well as developing a Carbon Economic Value mechanism as incentives for the private sector in achieving emission reductions," explained the President.

Meanwhile, accompanying the President while attending the event were Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan and Minister of the Environment Siti Nurbaya Bakar.