Govt reviewing laws on the environment<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government considers the possibility of
\nrevising laws on the management of living environment as they are
\nconsidered to be no longer suitable with current condition.<\/p>\n
"We have established a team to review the Law No. 4\/1982 on
\nthe basic provisions for management of the living environment,"
\nState Minister of Environment\/Chairman of the Environmental
\nImpact Management Agency (Bapedal) Sarwono Kusumaatmadja said
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
A more comprehensive and integral law on the management of
\nliving environment is badly needed in the current reckless
\nexploitation of natural resources and the environment, as a
\nresult of the increasing economic activities, industrial
\ndevelopments, technological changes and international trade
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
Sarwono said in a written statement, which was read by deputy
\nchairman of Bapedal P.L. Coutrier at the opening of a Conference
\nand Workshop on Environmental Auditing in Asia and the Indonesian
\nStrategy for Sustainable Development, that the existing law on
\nthe management of the living environment is already out of date.<\/p>\n
The minister said that in addition to the review of the
\nexisting law, his office is currently also preparing a
\nministerial decree concerning the implementation of environmental
\nauditing.<\/p>\n
He said the adoption of environmental auditing is an important
\ncontribution to maintaining competitiveness of the country's
\nindustry in the world market. It could be done by introducing
\nenvironmental policies on cleaner production, waste minimization
\nand eco-labeling.<\/p>\n
Sarwono said conducting environmental audits in an industrial
\ncompany with minimum use of resources for its products, will
\nreduce the company's production cost and improve the energy
\nefficiency.<\/p>\n
He said the implementation of such audits will improve the
\npublic's view of the company's image and enable the firm to gain
\ncompetitive advantages in green consumers' market.<\/p>\n
He also said the environmental audits will internally increase
\nawareness and responsibility of company managers and staff toward
\nbetter environmental practices.<\/p>\n
However, he said the qualifications and practice of the
\nIndonesian environmental auditors must match international
\nstandards in order to get international acknowledgement.<\/p>\n
Voluntary<\/p>\n
Coutrier told reporters after the opening ceremony that the
\nenvironmental auditing would be implemented as a voluntary
\nactivity, not a mandatory one.<\/p>\n
The environmental auditing, however, will become mandatory if
\nbusiness and industrial activities in certain companies are
\nsuspected to endanger the public or public interest, he said.<\/p>\n
In this case the State Minister of Environment\/Chairman of
\nBapedal may require the suspected parties to conduct and submit
\nthe audit results, he added.<\/p>\n
Coutrier also supports the minister's statement on the
\noutdated law as it does not include regulations on concessions in
\nthe development of timber estates (HTI).<\/p>\n
He said the law does not even mention a single rule on
\nintegrated environmental impact analysis. (imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-reviewing-laws-on-the-environment-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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