Pertamina Supports The NZE Program By Collaborating With Perhutani To Absorb Emissions

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Pertamina NRE and Perhutani synergize to accelerate the net zero emission target in 2060 with efforts to absorb and prevent the release of carbon emissions from trees in forest areas managed by the Perhutani Group.

Pertamina NRE CEO Dannif Danusaputro said that currently Pertamina and Perhutani were in the stage of completing a pre-feasibility study for a nature-based solution (NBS) project.

According to him, this is in line with the direction from the Ministry of SOEs for the industrial sector SOE decarbonization program in order to achieve the Nationally Determined Contribution target in 2030 which was presented at the COP26 event.

"This synergy is part of the Pertamina NRE nature-based solution project, a voluntary solution to inhibit climate change and have a significant impact on the realization of sustainability through the management of forest areas and ecosystems around forest areas," said Dannif in his statement to the media, March 9.

Meanwhile, the President Director of Perum Perhutani Wahyu Kuncoro said that as a BUMN in the forestry sector, the Perhutani group supports the government and plays a role in reducing carbon emissions in Indonesia's forest areas.

"Forestry and agriculture, apart from the energy and transportation sectors, are priority sectors in the decarbonization program," said Wahyu.

Currently, as many as 3 prospective NBS locations have been identified in the Perhutani group area based on a high-level feasibility study conducted based on area and location, vegetation, deforestation trends over the last 20 years, current land use patterns, and other factors including economic and technical and non-technical. .

The three potential locations will be followed by a pre-feasibility study and a feasibility study to determine the feasibility of the said NBS project.

In its long-term aspirations, Pertamina NRE has 3 strategic pillars, namely low carbon solutions, development of new and renewable energy, and future business development in the energy sector. Within the pillar of low carbon solution, there are decarbonization initiatives, one of which is through NBS.

This project is a medium-term project which must go through several stages, including globally standardized carbon emission reduction certification.

This certification is issued by international institutions that make emission accounting standards, such as Verra and the Gold Standard. Currently Pertamina NRE in synergy with Perhutani is conducting a pre-feasibility study.

As a country located on the equator, this strategic position makes Indonesia potentially one of the largest suppliers of forestry-based NBS carbon credits in the world. Based on data from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, forest areas in Indonesia account for more than 51 percent of the total area of Indonesia.

Forests in Indonesia are tropical forests where the characteristics of the plants in this type of forest continue to be green throughout the year and are relatively independent of the season. This further supports the absorption of CO2.

"Pertamina NRE is very committed to together with the government to realize net zero emissions by 2060," concluded Dannif.