Kyoto Protocol ratification not enough: Official, NGOs

Kyoto Protocol ratification not enough: Official, NGOs

Moch. N. Kurniawan, Jakarta

Government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) praised on
Sunday a plan by the House of Representatives to ratify the Kyoto
Protocol, but stressed the move would be meaningless without
making revisions to regulations and policies that are unfriendly
to the environment.

Deputy State Minister of the Environment Sudarijono said
Indonesia's stance in ratifying the treaty showed its strong
commitment to help reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

"For us, the planned ratification of the Kyoto Protocol is not
enough. We also have many regulations and policies that must be
revised as they increase GHGs," he said.

NGO Greenomics executive director Elfian Effendi concurred,
saying Indonesia needed to take concrete action to implement the
Kyoto Protocol such as banning road construction and mining in
protected forests.

For example, he said, the government ought to stop the
controversial Ladia Galaska road project, which would pass
through Leuser National Park in Aceh province.

"The impact of forest destruction on global warming is
obvious. It will result in an increase in carbon dioxide
emissions," Elfian said.

Moreover, the government's plan to allow mining in protected
forest would also lead to an increase of GHG emissions, he added.

He urged the House to annul a new government regulation that
was issued in lieu of law, which would allow mining in protected
forests.

Elfian said such action could be taken by the House and
government to show their commitment to helping reduce global
warming.

Sudarijono said that, under the Kyoto Protocol, as a
developing country Indonesia had no obligation to reduce current
GHG emissions, but would benefit if it took part in the reduction
of global warming.

"Only developed countries are required to reduce or limit
their GHG emissions to their 1990 levels. But if they cannot do
so in their home countries, they are allowed to purchase reduced
GHG emissions from developing countries that have ratified the
protocol, to meet their obligation," he told the Jakarta Post.

Sudarijono explained that the procurement of GHG emissions
between advanced and developing countries was controlled under
the clean development mechanism (CDM).

A reduction of one ton of carbon dioxide could be bought for
US$4 to $5, he said.

Among CDM programs are the use of clean energy power plants,
and the preservation of designated forests, he added.

The House is slated to begin discussing a bill on the
ratification of the Kyoto Protocol on Monday.

The protocol covers a basket of six GHGs produced by human
activities: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide,
hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride.

The sources of GHGs include coal-, oil- and gas-fueled power
generation, soil disturbance and increased rates of decomposition
in converted soils, petroleum as a fossil fuel for
transportation, and cement, lime, iron and coal production.

The rapid increase in carbon dioxide emissions observed during
the last 250 years is expected to continue for several decades to
come.

If the predicted increases in greenhouse gas concentrations
are then translated into temperature changes, a global
temperature increase of between one and 5.5 degrees Centigrade is
predicted for 2100.

Sea level is also predicted to rise by 20 cm to 60 cm due to
rising water temperatures and icemelt around the world. This
could pose a potentially very serious threat to millions of
people.

So far, the United States has been reluctant to ratify the
protocol as it would have a big impact to its economy, while
Russia has shown willingness to ratify the treaty.