The outcome of the Copenhagen climate change summit may only be “morally-binding”, but the Indonesian delegation has not returned empty-handed, the delegation claimed Wednesday.
Rachmat Witoelar, the alternate head of Indonesian delegates to the summit, told a press conference that Indonesia had successfully secured support from a number of countries and international organizations to help mitigate climate change.
Rachmat said the support was secured through bilateral meetings conducted on the sidelines of the Copenhagen summit.
“The pledges for support are very significant as the funds are huge,” said the former environment minister, although he stopped short of naming the figure.
Britain, Norway, and the US, for example, have stated their willingness to provide financial support in an effort to reduce emissions from deforestation.
Germany, has agreed to help Indonesia preserve its forests through technical assistance, while New Zealand will develop a global partnership in climate change research in the field of agriculture.
Other countries committing to deals with Indonesia in terms of climate change mitigation include Australia, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) also followed suit.
The UNEP has agreed to develop a partnership with Indonesia on oceanic issues (blue carbon)
and a technology follow-up, while the WMO will work on preparations for an intergovernmental meeting in mid January to form the so-called High Level Task Force Team.
The team will formulate working concepts for the Global Framework for Climate Services.
“Prof. Emil Salim has been asked to be a member of the team,” Rachmat said, referring to another former environment minister.
Rachmat said that although the only outcome of the Copenhagen climate summit, a document
called the “Copenhagen Accord”, was only “morally-binding”, not politically or legally-binding, Indonesia was quite satisfied with the substance of the accord.
He said the Accord accommodated nearly all of the points proposed by President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono, which were read out by the President in his national statement during the conference on Thursday.
The 16th UN Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP) will take place in Mexico by the end of 2010, and the 17th COP will be held in South Africa in 2011.
Rachmat said Indonesia would soon formulate its action plan based on its commitment to reducing emissions by 26 percent in 2020, and report it to the UN Framework Conventions on Climate Change (Unfcc) by Jan. 31.
The action plan will be coordinated by the Climate Change National Board (DNPI), which Rachmat chairs.
“The DNPI is also coordinating meetings to formulate Indonesia’s strategies for the next round of negotiations ahead of the 16th COP in Mexico,” he said.
After arriving on Sunday, President Yudhoyono briefed a number of Cabinet ministers and governors and told them to prepare for national and regional action plans to follow up the Accord.
