Two degrees Celsius does not sound like much, but itâs one of the key issues being debated at the climate talks in Paris, which entered their third day on Wednesday
wo degrees Celsius does not sound like much, but it's one of the key issues being debated at the climate talks in Paris, which entered their third day on Wednesday.
Indonesia is currently working in an alliance with developing countries in the G-77, including China, the world's biggest polluter, in negotiations at the COP21 climate talks in Paris, to reach a new agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol, including capping the rise of global temperatures.
One of the Indonesian delegation's lead negotiators at the conference, Rachmat Witoelar, said that one of the key points that countries in the coalition had agreed on was that they would probably commit to limiting global temperature rises to a little over 2 degrees Celsius.
'From the INDC [Intended Nationally Determined Contribution] that [developing] countries have submitted, we can assess that it will be difficult to agree on 2 degrees Celsius. Based on their [developing countries] abilities, the figure should be between 2.7 and 3.5,' Rachmat said at a press briefing at the Indonesian pavilion at the COP21 conference hall in Le Bourget, in the suburbs of Paris on Wednesday.
In preparation for the Paris meeting, more than 150 countries submitted national climate targets covering nearly 90 percent of global emissions, which will be used to create a legal agreement to limit the rise of global temperatures to less than 2Ë Celsius.
Rachmat said that pushing developing nations into reaching the 2º Celsius target would create a rift in the group. 'We can't force them to accept the 2 degree target or else we will create a split,' said the former environment minister.
Another negotiator representing Indonesia at the COP21, Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, said that Indonesia could make a significant contribution to limiting the global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius by controlling the rate of deforestation.
'We need to control our landscape given its great contribution [to the Earth's atmosphere]. Deforestation is the key,' said Sarwono, who is also a former environment minister.
Earlier on Monday, in his speech at the opening of the COP21 on Monday, President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo vowed that his administration would balance climate efforts with economic growth.
He later renewed Indonesia's commitment made previously in its INDC to reduce carbon emissions to 29 percent by 2030, or 41 percent with international support.
At the COP21, the Indonesian delegation expects to reach an agreement under which countries are allowed to carry out their climate change mitigation initiatives according to their respective capabilities.
Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar said that in spite of the massive forest and peatland fires that blanketed large parts of Indonesia in haze earlier this year, Indonesia could continue to play a leading role at the Paris negotiations.
'There have been no statements regarding the haze because the President was frank about it in his speech. We have to show this kind of attitude more often,' Siti said.
She quickly added that CO2 emissions from the forest and peatland fires, which are estimated to be between 0.8 and 1.1 gigatons, would not be factored into the country's INDC's target of a 29 percent reduction of its current amount of 2.8 gigatons per year.
'The INDC target was set in June, before the fires,' she said.
On day three of the COP21, after state leaders had left Paris, much of the negotiations will take place between countries to discuss funding for developing countries to deal with the effects of climate change.
Developed countries have pledged to mobilize $100 billion annually by 2020 to help poor countries adapt to climate change.
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