RI eyes benefit from Kyoto Protocol<\/p>\n
Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesia is in talks with a number of industrialized countries
\nregarding environmentally friendly projects that take advantage
\nof opportunities in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), a
\nramification of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol that takes effect
\ninternationally on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The long-awaited protocol commits developed countries grouped
\nin Annex 1 to slash their carbon dioxide (CO2) emission levels by
\n5.2 percent from their 1990 levels, and Indonesia is offering
\nprojects to help them beat the 2012 deadline.<\/p>\n
Among countries that have shown interest in Indonesia's offers
\n-- mostly in the energy and forestry sectors -- are the
\nNetherlands, Japan, Denmark, Austria and Canada, said Sudariyono,
\nthe deputy for environmental conservation at the Office of the
\nState Minister of Environment.<\/p>\n
\"The Netherlands wants to 'buy' carbon by investing in power
\nplants that already have plans and resources to switch into new
\ntechnology that reduce carbon emissions, like from coal to
\ngeothermal,\" Sudariyono explained.<\/p>\n
Japan, on the other hand, was also wanting to fund technology
\nchange. They also have more varied interests, such as in the
\nforestry, transportation and waste management sectors, he added.<\/p>\n
The CDM is basically a carbon trading scheme in which
\nindustrialized nations invest in environmental projects in
\ndeveloping countries that reduce greenhouse gases (GHG).<\/p>\n
These countries will pay a certain amount of money for each
\nton of carbon saved, and then be granted a reduction in their
\nemission levels until they reach the 5.2 percent cut off point.<\/p>\n
Under the UN accord, the carbon market is one of three ways
\naimed at reducing carbon pollution, the main culprit in causing
\nglobal warming, by curbing the use of coal, oil and natural gas,
\nand shifting to cleaner energies like solar and wind power.<\/p>\n
Kyoto Protocol took effect 90 days after Russia ratified it. A
\nmajor polluter, Russia was the pact's key nation after the
\nbiggest polluters, like the United States and Australia, pulled
\nout, saying it was too costly and unfairly exempted rapidly
\nindustrializing, but non-Annex 1, countries like China and India.<\/p>\n
Rising global temperatures have been linked to extreme weather
\nevents, like droughts, flooding and higher sea levels. Experts
\npredict that average temperatures will rise 4.5 degrees Celsius
\nby 2100 unless immediate steps are taken to reduce GHG emissions
\ninto the atmosphere.<\/p>\n
Another project type available in the CDM is reforestation,
\nwhere industrialized countries can help regrow Indonesia's
\nperishing forests that are disappearing at the rate of 3.5
\nmillion hectares per year due to uncontrolled logging.<\/p>\n
Sudariyono, who will chair the national commission on CDM,
\nsaid the government was also familiarizing carbon-emitting firms
\nhere with the mechanisms.<\/p>\n
\"We'll benefit so much by getting in new investment and also a
\ncleaner environment. We could also stall rising air
\ntemperatures,\" he said, adding that Indonesia emits up to 35
\nmillion tons of carbon per year.<\/p>\n
Sudariyono emphasized the need for Indonesia to be aggressive
\nin approaching advanced nations in order to compete with
\nneighboring countries in obtaining the economic benefits provided
\nby the Kyoto Protocol.<\/p>\n
\"We'll offer more qualified projects that reduce more carbon,
\na guarantee that the projects will be sustainable and of course,
\na more negotiable price of carbon,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Related stories on Pages 3,11
\nEditorial -- Page 6<\/p>",
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