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strong>Nov. 27, 2015

Indonesia will present its ideas on how to prevent forest fires and rehabilitate damaged peatland as part of climate change mitigation efforts at the upcoming UN climate change conference in Paris, France.

National Development Planning Minister Sofyan Djalil said on Friday that Indonesia'€™s agenda at the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP21 conference scheduled to begin on Nov. 30 was to promote serious management of forest fires.

'€œThe most important thing is serious prevention, so that there will be no more forest fires, especially ones caused by humans. If they were caused by natural factors it would be different, but we also need to emphasize readiness,'€ he said as quoted by Antara news agency.

Your comments:

Maybe the alternate plan is to ignore global warming so all the ice melts and the sea level rises so much that the peatland is underwater. See, no peat fire then.

Randomthought

Now the one thing that I know will be repeatedly said by Jokowi is going to be '€œHey, don'€™t blame us! Blame the El Niño phenomenon as a result of the prolonged dry season. To sum it up, it was never our fault, it was the climate'€™s fault for being too hot and mean to Indonesia. Furthermore, our neighboring countries have benefited from the free oxygen flowing through the air '€” they should be grateful!'€

Simba1991

I believe the key to all this is what Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung uttered: '€œIndonesia expects that the world will also be concerned about [the fires] and not only blame us. Because they have said that our forests are the lungs of the world.'€

What that means in '€œplain'€ language is as crystal clear as it can ever get. No need to explain any further this '€œexpectation'€.

Gordon Freeman

Perhaps the idea is to report on how much has been done to prevent the fires from ever happening again. They see this as helpful to luring more foreign investment, and perhaps opening new possibilities on carbon trading.

But I agree with the other comments. This will definitely backfire.

Ranting

COP21 is just a party for ecologist activists like Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth. As usual, ecologist activists don'€™t have solutions but just make developing countries feel guilty and stop developing.

Luckily, there will be Bill Gates to offer some technological solutions with his own money.

Too bad Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth hate Bill Gates for ideological reasons.

Sony W

Even though Indonesia was unable to stop them, it dares to show the world how to prevent forest fires. It'€™s so brave.

Many have complained to the government because it worked so slowly, but I did nothing, just prayed. And I believe the government would have bent over backwards. So, it'€™s no problem if Indonesia dares to become a speaker at the UN conference.

Maybe forest fires are connected to regional elections. Turned into fields of business for businessman. And for candidates for added support. Moreover, the country'€™s notorious weak law enforcement provides further support for this situation.

If these forest fires were triggered by nature, we should pray and work hard to put them out. But if it was triggered by human error, this needs to be investigated and followed up. And the law must be upheld.

Authorities have to dare to enforce the law and bring all those involved in forest fires to justice, no matter what their social, economic and political backgrounds.

Prisna Octaviani Cheisye

It is very courageous. Indonesia is so brave!

Presenting something that we couldn'€™t do reminds me of the wise words '€œan empty drum sounds budest'€. The world has witnessed that Indonesia has been unable to prevent and handle forest fires, which have occurred annually in the country, and I am confused by the article stating that Indonesia would use the conference to speak on measures to handle forest fires.

Good luck at COP21, Mr. President. We hope you will get a standing ovation!

Rena Zumu

This is akin to Heinrich Himmler making an address on Jewish welfare. Note the phrases that cloak the reality: '€œrehabilitating peatland'€ for oil palm plantations and '€œpreventing forest fires'€ for business as usual in starting them, but we would like some handouts as well.

Jagera

Forest burning is illegal under Indonesian law and under Article 69 of the 2009 Environment Law, smallholders of two hectares of land or less are allowed to clear their land by burning.

So a country that allows smallholders to slash and burn forest is going to teach the world how to prevent forest fires.

Wandering Star

I'€™m Indonesian, I am proud to be Indonesian and this issue isn'€™t a joke to me. Indonesian forest fires are a catastrophe. Forest fires have been raging every year on parts of the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan, damaging inhabited areas and the tropical environment.

Moreover, the toxic haze has spread to other parts of Southeast Asia, having caused an estimated 500,000 cases of respiratory tract infections as well as 19 casualties, and many deaths. We could say the forest fires are as crimes against humanity.

Why? Why do forest fires always exist in my beloved nation? A student from Gorontalo once told me to research the connection between business investment, local elections and Indonesian forest fires. This is what I'€™ve found.

We should note that over the past decade forest fires tended to spike prior to and just after local elections as candidates (cooperating with local businessmen) give land (or the right to use land) to local voters (possibly to village heads who then turn to local residents) in exchange for support.

Moreover, the country'€™s notorious weak law enforcement provides further support for this situation.

Gregdaru