POLICY
JAKARTA (FORESTHINTS.NEWS) - Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Professor Siti Nurbaya reiterated that the country's efforts to strengthen legally-based carbon governance are in no way aimed at slowing down voluntary carbon trade based on market mechanisms.
During a technical discussion on the power of Indonesia's carbon governance (Feb 10), the Minister stressed that efforts to strengthen legally-based carbon governance are intended to make sure that all carbon units traded in the voluntary carbon markets have proof of ownership in the form of Emission Reduction Certificates (SPE) recorded in the National Registry System (SRN).
The SRN is a legally-based control tool, under the authority of the Minister, that serves as the focal point for actions and resources related to Indonesia’s climate change mitigation and adaptation as well as the economic value of carbon in the country.
The Minister also emphasized that the SRN is crucial in ensuring that Indonesia remains on track in fulfilling its NDC obligations and contributing to the goals of the Paris Agreement in fighting the global climate crisis.
She added that Indonesia's carbon governance also provides clear business opportunities for the development of voluntary carbon markets according to designated quotas while maintaining a level of legality by going through the SRN and acquiring the required emission reduction certificates.
Stable progress prioritized
Minister Nurbaya stated that she will not tolerate practices that fall outside the corridor of legality and stressed that Indonesia’s increasingly robust carbon governance represents a concrete form of climate action legally implemented ever since Indonesia ratified the Paris Agreement by means of a law promulgated in 2016.
"I cannot deal with anything outside of the legal mechanisms. I will not put up with practices that take place outside the corridor of legality. President Jokowi has clearly ordered that carbon governance must continue to be strengthened, not weakened," the Minister exclaimed.
Minister Nurbaya also underlined Indonesia's determination and steadfastness to continue not only maintaining but indeed reinforcing its carbon governance to carry out the mandate given to it by the Indonesian Constitution.
“We must maintain stable progress in voluntary carbon trade, rather than rushing to develop in an unstable manner that takes us outside Indonesia's carbon governance measures. I need to reiterate that I refuse to engage with accelerated efforts for voluntary carbon trade which only serve to weaken Indonesia's carbon governance efforts," she asserted.
The Minister dismissed out of hand any offer that would weaken Indonesia's carbon governance: "Any suggestion that I remove the SRN and abolish the SPE from our carbon governance framework in order to attract carbon investors will be rejected outright as this would weaken Indonesia's carbon governance," Minister Nurbaya affirmed.
"Moreover, such offers would, at the same time, remove the Indonesian central government's mechanism for controlling its ability to meet the NDC targets it has committed to," she added.
No clash of methodologies
Minister Nurbaya said that Indonesia's legally-based methodologies, which provide support for the country's carbon governance efforts, continue to be developed and are open to constant updating and upgrading as long as they remain in accordance with Indonesia's legal measures.
She also stated that efforts towards technical alignment with international methodologies will go forward provided that the clear goal is to boost Indonesia's carbon governance, not weaken it.
"There is no clash between Indonesia's legally-based methodologies and those developed by international stakeholders. This is proven by the fact that some technical alignments have already been successfully achieved, while others are still in the process,” the Minister explained.
"I am completely open to efforts towards technical alignment which are aimed at realizing levels of potential compatibility as long as the overriding motivation is to reinforce Indonesia's carbon governance efforts rather than erode them," she elaborated.
According to Minister Nurbaya, if indications arise of moves to weaken Indonesia's carbon governance efforts in the process of technical alignment with Indonesia's legally-based methodologies, she will immediately terminate the process.
"I don't want to waste time and energy carrying out technical alignment efforts that don’t actually bolster Indonesia's carbon governance. What’s more, I will not give in to pressure from any party seeking to weaken our carbon governance. This is the President's order and it’s non-negotiable. I have to be strict on this," the Minister cautioned.
Weakening not tolerated
Minister Nurbaya also described how she has repeatedly received input from certain circles telling her that if Indonesia were to follow standards other than its own legally-based methodologies, it would be much easier and faster for the country to bring in carbon investors promising fantastic dollar values.
"I have underscored many times that Indonesia does not need investors who come with offerings that diminish Indonesia's carbon governance, regardless of the dollar values they promise. Indonesia's carbon governance in voluntary carbon trade is not up for negotiation," the Minister declared.
"Anyone who is involved with Indonesia's economic value of carbon must have the highest respect for the Indonesian government's efforts to strengthen its carbon governance," she added.
"Don't give the impression that you are accelerating carbon voluntary markets, while in fact you are merely disrupting Indonesia's carbon governance for the sake of short-term interests," she warned.
Minister Nurbaya instead gave an assurance that Indonesia's carbon governance will guarantee legal certainty for voluntary carbon markets in the long term given that the carbon business is not based on the short term.
The Minister also pointed out that Indonesia does not move slowly when it comes to dealing with voluntary carbon markets, but rather it is determined to maintain its vigorous carbon governance while providing legal certainties.
“Any assumption that Indonesia is slow in responding to voluntary carbon markets is irrelevant. We are clearly not slow, but we are certainly not willing to look for loopholes that weaken our carbon governance under the pretext of accelerating voluntary carbon markets in the country," she explained.
Before ending the technical discussion, Minister Nurbaya invited all relevant stakeholders, especially those from the international community, to collaborate in continuing to strengthen the power of Indonesia's carbon governance as a long-term investment for Indonesia as well as the wider world.
"There is no way that Indonesia will compromise on the strength of its carbon governance. If we agree to move towards weakening it, we will find ourselves out of line with our constitutional mandate and the law that ratified the Paris Agreement," she said in conclusion.
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POLICY
JAKARTA (FORESTHINTS.NEWS) - Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Professor Siti Nurbaya reiterated that the country's efforts to strengthen legally-based carbon governance are in no way aimed at slowing down voluntary carbon trade based on market mechanisms.
During a technical discussion on the power of Indonesia's carbon governance (Feb 10), the Minister stressed that efforts to strengthen legally-based carbon governance are intended to make sure that all carbon units traded in the voluntary carbon markets have proof of ownership in the form of Emission Reduction Certificates (SPE) recorded in the National Registry System (SRN).
The SRN is a legally-based control tool, under the authority of the Minister, that serves as the focal point for actions and resources related to Indonesia’s climate change mitigation and adaptation as well as the economic value of carbon in the country.
The Minister also emphasized that the SRN is crucial in ensuring that Indonesia remains on track in fulfilling its NDC obligations and contributing to the goals of the Paris Agreement in fighting the global climate crisis.
She added that Indonesia's carbon governance also provides clear business opportunities for the development of voluntary carbon markets according to designated quotas while maintaining a level of legality by going through the SRN and acquiring the required emission reduction certificates.
Stable progress prioritized
Minister Nurbaya stated that she will not tolerate practices that fall outside the corridor of legality and stressed that Indonesia’s increasingly robust carbon governance represents a concrete form of climate action legally implemented ever since Indonesia ratified the Paris Agreement by means of a law promulgated in 2016.
"I cannot deal with anything outside of the legal mechanisms. I will not put up with practices that take place outside the corridor of legality. President Jokowi has clearly ordered that carbon governance must continue to be strengthened, not weakened," the Minister exclaimed.
Minister Nurbaya also underlined Indonesia's determination and steadfastness to continue not only maintaining but indeed reinforcing its carbon governance to carry out the mandate given to it by the Indonesian Constitution.
“We must maintain stable progress in voluntary carbon trade, rather than rushing to develop in an unstable manner that takes us outside Indonesia's carbon governance measures. I need to reiterate that I refuse to engage with accelerated efforts for voluntary carbon trade which only serve to weaken Indonesia's carbon governance efforts," she asserted.
The Minister dismissed out of hand any offer that would weaken Indonesia's carbon governance: "Any suggestion that I remove the SRN and abolish the SPE from our carbon governance framework in order to attract carbon investors will be rejected outright as this would weaken Indonesia's carbon governance," Minister Nurbaya affirmed.
"Moreover, such offers would, at the same time, remove the Indonesian central government's mechanism for controlling its ability to meet the NDC targets it has committed to," she added.
No clash of methodologies
Minister Nurbaya said that Indonesia's legally-based methodologies, which provide support for the country's carbon governance efforts, continue to be developed and are open to constant updating and upgrading as long as they remain in accordance with Indonesia's legal measures.
She also stated that efforts towards technical alignment with international methodologies will go forward provided that the clear goal is to boost Indonesia's carbon governance, not weaken it.
"There is no clash between Indonesia's legally-based methodologies and those developed by international stakeholders. This is proven by the fact that some technical alignments have already been successfully achieved, while others are still in the process,” the Minister explained.
"I am completely open to efforts towards technical alignment which are aimed at realizing levels of potential compatibility as long as the overriding motivation is to reinforce Indonesia's carbon governance efforts rather than erode them," she elaborated.
According to Minister Nurbaya, if indications arise of moves to weaken Indonesia's carbon governance efforts in the process of technical alignment with Indonesia's legally-based methodologies, she will immediately terminate the process.
"I don't want to waste time and energy carrying out technical alignment efforts that don’t actually bolster Indonesia's carbon governance. What’s more, I will not give in to pressure from any party seeking to weaken our carbon governance. This is the President's order and it’s non-negotiable. I have to be strict on this," the Minister cautioned.
Weakening not tolerated
Minister Nurbaya also described how she has repeatedly received input from certain circles telling her that if Indonesia were to follow standards other than its own legally-based methodologies, it would be much easier and faster for the country to bring in carbon investors promising fantastic dollar values.
"I have underscored many times that Indonesia does not need investors who come with offerings that diminish Indonesia's carbon governance, regardless of the dollar values they promise. Indonesia's carbon governance in voluntary carbon trade is not up for negotiation," the Minister declared.
"Anyone who is involved with Indonesia's economic value of carbon must have the highest respect for the Indonesian government's efforts to strengthen its carbon governance," she added.
"Don't give the impression that you are accelerating carbon voluntary markets, while in fact you are merely disrupting Indonesia's carbon governance for the sake of short-term interests," she warned.
Minister Nurbaya instead gave an assurance that Indonesia's carbon governance will guarantee legal certainty for voluntary carbon markets in the long term given that the carbon business is not based on the short term.
The Minister also pointed out that Indonesia does not move slowly when it comes to dealing with voluntary carbon markets, but rather it is determined to maintain its vigorous carbon governance while providing legal certainties.
“Any assumption that Indonesia is slow in responding to voluntary carbon markets is irrelevant. We are clearly not slow, but we are certainly not willing to look for loopholes that weaken our carbon governance under the pretext of accelerating voluntary carbon markets in the country," she explained.
Before ending the technical discussion, Minister Nurbaya invited all relevant stakeholders, especially those from the international community, to collaborate in continuing to strengthen the power of Indonesia's carbon governance as a long-term investment for Indonesia as well as the wider world.
"There is no way that Indonesia will compromise on the strength of its carbon governance. If we agree to move towards weakening it, we will find ourselves out of line with our constitutional mandate and the law that ratified the Paris Agreement," she said in conclusion.
RELATED STORIES
