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10 Juli 2021
NUSADAILY.COM – JAKARTA – The declaration of carbon projects carried out by international NGOs involving conservation areas and protected forests in Indonesia is indicated to violate the laws and regulations.
The violation was discovered after the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) identified a number of carbon project declarations and warned to cancel the carbon project activities.
This was confirmed by the Director-General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Wiratno in Jakarta Friday (9/7/2021).
“KLHK has stopped the carbon project declared by an international NGO in Sebangau National Park, Central Kalimantan. The Ministry of Environment and Forestry has also stopped a carbon project declared by another international NGO in Batang Gadis National Park, North Sumatra, which was deemed not to comply with procedures and indicated a violation of the rules, said Wiratno.
He also said, “This decisive step is a follow-up to the direction of Minister Siti Nurbaya, to ensure that the declaration of carbon projects in Indonesia involving state forest areas cannot be allowed to take place illegally.
All Carbon Projects Must Be Legal
“The cancellation shows the level of seriousness and consistency of the Minister to ensure that all carbon projects in Indonesia are under legal and accountable arrangements and procedures,” said Wiratno.
He also conveyed that the Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya advised that steps to overcome carbon emissions should not only be fashionable, but there must be sincerity in every step, in order to achieve the real goal.
For this reason, said Wiratno as a follow-up to the Minister’s direction, he has ordered the Head of the UPT for Natural Resources Conservation and National Parks throughout Indonesia to carry out an inventory and investigation, as well as stop activities related to the declaration of carbon projects involving conservation areas and national parks. protected forest, but not in accordance with the laws and regulations.
Not only that, Wiratno added that Minister Siti firmly said that Indonesia’s main priority was to mobilize all resources to meet the national Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) target. All carbon projects must be registered in the National Registry System (SRN), which has been in place since 2017.
“For that reason, carbon projects for the interests of certain parties, which run outside the corridors of the legislation, must be stopped and must be adjusted,” explained Wiratno.
Minister of Environment and Forestry is Very Understanding of Carbon Projects
In addition, he explained, the Minister of Environment and Forestry is very aware of the self-declared carbon projects related to the need for business reputation.
However, the important point from the Minister, continued Wiratno, is not to use illegal measures, interfere with administrative procedures, and even violate the constitution.
“In addition to territorial jurisdiction, there is also a sovereign state jurisdiction. Such illegal activities will also have fatal consequences because of the potential for double counting of national NDC targets. That’s the message from the Minister,” he said
In addition, Wiratno also explained that the Directorate General of KSDAE as the holder of conservation areas has a crucial role in supporting the achievement of the carbon neutral target of the forestry sector by 2030. Indonesia has 560 conservation areas covering an area of 27 million hectares (terrestrial and marine). An area of 16 million hectares or almost 60% of it is a national park.
“This means that KSDAE is ready to carry out the Minister’s direction to ensure that carbon projects, especially those involving conservation areas and protected forests, must comply with laws and regulations,” Wiratno concluded. (sir/aka)