Forests for Climate (FFC) is Greenpeace's landmark proposal for
an international mechanism to fund sustainable and lasting
reductions of emissions from tropical deforestation in
participating countries in order to meet commitments for the second
phase of the Kyoto Protocol (post 2012).
Taking the first step to match donor countries to real projects
in developing forested countries, Greenpeace invited embassies of
key donor countries, donor agencies, government officials and
governors of several Indonesian provinces, to talk about the FFC
initiative and to support a moratorium on any new forest conversion
in Indonesia prior to any carbon money flowing. The well-attended
launch took place at Tanjung Priok, Jakarta's port area, at an
event jointly hosted by Rachmat Witoelar, State Minister of
Environment of the Republic of Indonesia.
"Indonesia's rampant deforestation and fast rising greenhouse
gas emissions have been driven by the lure of short term profit.
Greenpeace's Forests for Climate mechanism is the solution as it
places a value on keeping the forests alive", said Arief Wicaksono,
Political Advisor, Greenpeace Southeast Asia.
"Indonesia's Government and society have a responsibility to
protect its tropical forests, for the sake of the environment, the
country's development and to prevent the worsening impacts of
climate change. It is time for Indonesia to gain the right to
funding from industrialised countries to protect one of the world's
lungs," said Rachmat Witoelar.
Under the FFC mechanism, industrialised countries that committed
to reduce their emissions would fund protection of the world's last
remaining tropical forests. Developing countries with tropical
forests, like Indonesia, which chose to participate and who
committed to protect their forests, would have the opportunity to
receive funding for capacity-building efforts and for national
level reductions in deforestation emissions. FFC prevents
deforestation from shifting from one country to the next and is the
only mechanism that involves local and indigenous forest peoples'
representatives to ensure their rights and livelihoods are
respected.
Greenpeace is pushing for the FFC mechanism to become part of
the second phase of the Kyoto (post-2012) agreement on climate
change. If countries commit to FFC, funding from industrialised
countries for the protection of tropical forests could become
available as soon as 2009.
"Indonesia's remaining forests must be protected to combat
climate change, stop biodiversity loss and protect the livelihoods
of forest-dependent peoples. First, we need an immediate moratorium
on deforestation, followed by international funding through the
United Nations to protect forests for their carbon value",
concluded Wicaksono.
Greenpeace embarked on the Indonesian leg of its "Forests for
Climate" ship tour in Jayapura on 6 October, to shine the spotlight
on the rampant destruction of the Paradise Forests - the last
remaining ancient forests of Southeast Asia. The Esperanza
will leave Jakarta on Saturday, 1 November, en-route to Riau.
Greenpeace is calling on the Indonesian government to implement
an immediate moratorium on all forest conversion, including
expansion of oil palm plantations, industrial logging, and other
drivers of deforestation.
Other contacts: Arief Wicaksono, Political Advisor, Greenpeace Southeast Asia:
+62 (0) 8159704400
Nabiha Shahab, Greenpeace Southeast Asia, Media Campaigner:
+62 (0) 81314213432
Christoph Thies, Greenpeace International Forest campaigner:
+62 (0) 8131 5829513, +49 17 1883 1107
Martin Baker, Communications Coordinator (Asia), Greenpeace International:
+62 (0) 8131 5829513
Sudariyono, Republic of Indonesia Deputy State Minister of the Environment:
+62 (0) 8128080585
Dida Gardera, Republic of Indonesia Ministry of Environment:
+62 (0)81510520081
For photo and video please contact Findi Kenandarti:
+62 (0) 8161681840