T

he government has begun drawing up Indonesia's proposals for the climate talks in Copenhagen later this year, amid global fears the conference will fail to agree on a binding treaty on emissions cuts.

Coordinating Public Welfare Minister Agung Laksono said Wednesday after meeting with officials from the State Environment Ministry and the National Council on Climate Change (DNPI) that Indonesia would work hard to make the talks a success.

"As a hero in climate change, Indonesia is in a good position to make the Copenhagen talks successful," he said, unaware that the country is the world's third-biggest CO2 emitter.

The Copenhagen climate talks will run from Dec. 7 to 18.

Council chairman Rachmat Witoelar said there was little chance to agree on a binding treaty because differences between developed and developing countries on emissions cut targets remained unresolved.

"We've proposed a submission for a possible agreed outcome in Copenhagen as a way out of the expected deadlock," he said.

At climate talks in Barcelona earlier this month, Indonesia proposed that the Copenhagen talks endorse a "temporary accord" if they failed to agree on a new binding treaty.

Rachmat said the "umbrella decision" would comprise a global target for emissions cuts pending an international agreement to be made before June 2010.

Asked whether the proposal highlighted the Indonesian delegation's failure to bring the Bali Road Map to Copenhagen, Rachmat said, "No, we need to have an agreement."

The road map requires countries to agree on a new treaty on emissions cuts to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.

The protocol requires developed nations to cut emissions by about 5 percent from 1990 levels to help slow global warming.

Rachmat, who headed the Indonesian delegation in Barcelona last week, said Indonesia would still stand to gain financial benefits even if the Copenhagen talks failed to agree on binding emissions cut targets.

"We'll have many bilateral activities with other countries related to climate change programs," he said.

"Funding will flow to Indonesia without us having to beg rich nations."

Indonesia has announced a 20 percent emissions cut target by 2020, adding it could strive for a 41 percent reduction if developed nations provided financial assistance.

Rachmat, the former environment minister, said hopes for success at Copenhagen now rested on the presence of heads of state such as US President Barack Obama.

The US has not ratified the Kyoto Protocol because it exempts developing countries, including China, India and Indonesia - all major polluters - from having to comply.

Emerging economies such as China, Brazil and Mexico have agreed to draw up programs to slow the growth of their greenhouse gas emissions, but have resisted calls to make those limits binding and subject to international monitoring.