Sustainable forestry boost confirmed for carbon-cutting Indonesia

14/12/2009

Following the Indonesian president's promise to bring down his country’s carbon emissions by over a quarter by 2020, Indonesia's forestry minister has confirmed the reduction will happen in several phases between now and then.

Zulkifli Hasan said the country is committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 26 per cent by 2020, boosting the quantity of sustainable forestry in Indonesia in the process.

According to Antara News, the forestry sector is expected to help reduce emissions to 14 per cent in the first phase, with the remaining 12 per cent tackled by other development sectors concerned about environmental preservation. Hasan revealed the targets as he spoke of a new National Forest Management Unit.

"High awareness of all countries to reduce gas [emissions] is necessary to save the earth from climate change problems," he observed, adding that the Forestry Ministry's work programme for the next five years will be focused on forest preservation.

"It is in line with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's policy that development in the forestry sector should lead to stabilisation of micro economics to support economic development," he concluded.

Indonesia has also committed to stamping out illegal logging, which damages the environment, increases emissions and harms the economy.