RI told to continue working on concrete climate change measures

Adianto P. Simamora ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 10/28/2009 9:43 PM  |  National

With or without a global deal on a new climate treaty in Copenhagen, Indonesia should continue planning how it will deal with the impacts of climate change as vulnerable groups are already being affected by changing weather conditions, say green activists.

Civil society forum (CSF) said that Indonesia should no longer rely solely on foreign aid to help its people adapt to climate change.

“The government needs to make an extra effort, including allocating a budget for climate adaptation programs. We can’t just wait for foreign aid,” CSF coordinator Giorgio Budi told a press conference Wednesday.

He said the government was concentrating more on mitigation issues even though the risks of climate change were already affecting farmers.

Developing countries, especially the least developed ones, are the most vulnerable to the risk of extreme weather, temperature increases and rising sea levels.

The adaptation initiative currently comes from the Overseas Development Aid (ODA) from rich nations, who are required to allocate 0.6 percent of their GDP toward climate change funds.

“But it is not enough as much of the money has been spent on poverty alleviation under the Millennium Development Goals [MDGs],” said Raja Siregar from Oxfam GB.

Oxfam international has asked rich nations to raise US$100 billion in extra funds for adaptation and mitigation policies on climate change for developing countries.

“But half of the money should be allocated for adaptation programs,” he said.

The CSF is slated to hold a national dialogue on climate change on Nov. 2-3, presenting impacted farmers and fishermen from across the country.

The two-day dialogue is aimed at seeking concrete programs.

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