Indonesia’s Effects On Global Climate Change
Indonesia Position Paper
I.
To begin I would like to talk about the aquatic issues Indonesia has faced in the past specifically a decline in fish population starting in the 1970’s.These large amounts of aquatic deaths were due to contamination of coastal waters by one harmful pesticide used on the nearby rice farms.And two because of a leaking Japanese supertanker which destroyed the Sumatran coastline.Because of mass deforestation soil erosion caused silt deposits to cover and kill the coral of the Indonesian coasts.Deforestation was a serious problem in the 1970’s and 1980’s due to commercial logging which caused soil erosion.
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Today in Indonesia natural disaster from Tsunami’s and typhoons have ravaged the coast and they seem to be getting worse due to global warming.Also severe overfishing is taking its’ toll due to advances in fishing technology has pushed fish populations to the brink of depletion.
To address this challenge of being the third largest green house gas producer in the world Indonesia has brought together ministers from the government non-governmental organizations and technical experts to identify and promote solutions to their strong deforestation problems.Indonesia is also working to address pollution issues with public disclosure tools; these show the public water pollution performance of companies.Obviously my country is very concerned with its high pollution levels because it is so pro active and fixing them Indonesia even applied to lead the UN in climate change talks.On a more domestic level Indonesia has taken initiatives to a mobile air conditioning sector plan, a foam sector plan, and a technical assistance program.This is all to reduce aerosol emission and the depletion of the ozone.
II.
Indonesia has received some attention for its willingness to reduce emissions by twenty six percent after it ratified the Kyoto protocol.
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Indonesia and World Bank have begun a program for the reduction of emissions from deforestation and degradation and they have also launched the forest carbon partnership facility.Other deforestation reduction plans are the forest utilization right and the forest resource fee.Several large NGO’s have began financing the largest coral reef rehabilitation program in the world.On a more international scale Indonesia has begun preparing the second national communications to the UN framework convention.This document will include how Indonesia can reduce emissions.Indonesia also ratified and implemented the Montreal protocol and effectively lowered CFC emission by banning them.
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III.
Indonesia has been in favor of many environmental policies despite their high emissions.The supported the carbon tax even though it may cost them as they emit so much green house gas.Indonesia is also currently the UN’s assistant manager for environmental affairs.My country also strongly supports the UNFCC they signed this document and ratified it meaning they are bound to the rights and obligations stipulated in the convention.They also support the cap and trade system and have gone the extra mile by setting a particularly high standard at reducing emissions by twenty six percent.Indonesia has adopted and ratified a series of International agreements, such as the 1985 Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, and the 1992 United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change.Specifically Indonesia believes that every country must reduce emissions in some form but the industrialized countries are responsible to have the highest percentage drop as they have the most resources to do so.The poorer countries should receive as much aid as the UN sees fit to reduce emissions to reach their goal and this aid should come from richer industrialized countries.Because the rising temperatures could be taking more of a toll on the poorer countries already weak economy due to emissions from industrialized countries.The agreement calls for the countries and private sectors to monitor their own emissions and report them to the UN.Indonesia also agrees that a good temperature reduction goal is to not have the temperature rise above two degrees before 2020.
IV.
Indonesia believes that the leading force for emission reduction should be the global environmental affairs department of the UN.Because they are responsible for the international cooperation of the world to maintain the environment for all countries.The non-governmental organizations that are most closely tied to Indonesia re World Bank organization and other large NGO’s.All nations should be engaged since this is a worldwide problem but specifically china and the U.S.should be because they are the two highest green house gas emitters.But in general all the industrialized countries seem to be emitting the most and therefore should be more actively engaged in the problem.But some developing countries in Africa for instance should also be engaged as the effects of climate change could be the most severe in those already harsh regions of the world.
V.
Under examination Indonesia seems to have taken an odd approach to these problems because they have begun to lead in emission reduction even though they are a leader in green house gas emissions.This is contradictory to other heavy emitting countries that seem wary of any regulations and certainly to jump at the chance to set very optimistic goals for emission reduction.But the difference between Indonesia and those countries is that Indonesia’s economy isn’t based on factory emissions and the real reason its emissions are so high is because of forest clearing which releases carbon sinks.While stopping this forest burning would slow down their rapid industrialization it wouldn’t complete destroy their economy as there are other less polluting forest clearing methods.Indonesia also wants global emissions reduced because it has already seen the terrible effects of powerful typhoons and tsunamis and fears the repercussions of climate change creating more frequent ones.