Zulhas: Sustainable Environmental Management Key to Economic Development

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan stated that sustainable environmental management can connect economic development and climate goals with the community. “Sustainable environmental management is a bridge that connects economic development and society,” Menko Zulhas said in Jakarta on Wednesday. He added that the government is consistently strengthening its commitment to addressing and preventing the climate crisis. Various strategic steps have been taken, from drafting the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to preparing strategic regulations such as the Carbon Unit Registry System (SRUK). “Regarding the economic value of carbon, we have completed the carbon unit registry system, or SRUK, the first in the world to be recognised globally. It is also supported by completed ministerial regulations,” said the Coordinating Minister for Food. He also noted that the government is promoting climate and environment-based financing. One source of funding managed by the Environmental Fund Management Agency (BPDLH) comes from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) donor institution through the Results-Based Payment (RBP) scheme, as well as support from the Norwegian Government through the Results-Based Contribution (RBC) scheme. Indonesia made history as the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to secure RBP funding from the GCF amounting to 103.78 million US dollars for achieving a reduction in emissions from deforestation and forest degradation of 20.25 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. The REDD+ RBP GCF project consists of three main outputs. Outputs 1 and 3 have been running since 2021 and concluded in 2025. Meanwhile, Output 2 is still being implemented until 2030 for beneficiaries at the national and sub-national levels, with the Ministry of Forestry and the Ministry of Environment as the main custodians. “BPDLH is a green development financing instrument to support Indonesia’s vision of environmental sustainability,” said Menko Zulhas. Previously, 24 provinces had accessed the funding. Lampung Province was the first to successfully complete the programme implementation. In 2026, ten proposals from ten provinces have been assessed and are in the preparation stage for programme implementation, prior to a ceremonial signing of the cooperation agreement for the disbursement of RBP funds for the ten provinces. Currently, 34 provinces have accessed the REDD+ GCF Output 2 RBP funding, with a total commitment of Rp761 billion. This amount covers 94.8 percent of the total allocation for provinces.