KKP Calls Blue Carbon Ecosystem Important For Climate Change Mitigation

Illustration (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) stated that strengthening the blue carbon ecosystem is an important part in supporting climate change impact adaptation and mitigation actions. Director General of Marine and Marine Space Management of the KKP Victor Gustaaf Manoppo said that the blue carbon ecosystem as a natural-based solution can make a significant contribution to support not only adaptation but also climate change mitigation actions. We need to take real action before it's too late. Approaches such as ecosystem-based natural-based solutions and adaptation can be part of such concrete actions," Victor said in Jakarta, Saturday. According to Victor, Indonesia as the owner of 17 percent of the world's blue carbon reserves, has a great opportunity to take advantage of the blue carbon ecosystem to overcome climate change. In addition to having about 3.3 million hectares of mangrove forests, we also have 1.8 million hectares of seagrass that are able to absorb carbon 3-4 times higher than the ground ecosystem," he said. As an adaptation action, he continued, the blue carbon ecosystem together with coral reef ecosystem can be part of ecosystem resilience and nature landscape.

The management of blue carbon in the context of climate change is an important part of the blue economy policy currently implemented by the KKP through five priority programs, namely the expansion of the sea conservation area of fisheries based on quota, construction of marine, coastal and land cultivation fisheries that are environmentally friendly to control and control coastal areas and small islands, as well as management of plastic waste in the sea. In line with the KKP, Deputy for Environmental and Forestry Management Coordination of the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Kemenko Marves) Nani Hendiarti said Indonesia has great potential to develop Nature-based Solutions (NBS). As many as 15 percent of the world's NBS potential is in Indonesia. The government has also issued Presidential Regulation Number 98 of 2021 concerning Carbon Economic Values to strengthen the optimization of blue carbon.