How industry expansion plans would use climate funds to bankroll deforestation and undermine President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s commitment to low-carbon development.
I am confident that we can reach this goal [of GHG emissions reduction targets], while also ensuring sustainable and equitable economic growth for our people.
-Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, 26 April 2010
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has recognised the risks climate change poses, and the need for action: ‘Indonesia understands the necessity of doing its part to face the urgent global challenge of combating climate change. As a developing country, and an archipelago of 17,000 islands, our people face the brunt of impact of climate change.’
The Norwegian government’s pledge of $1 billion aids President SBY’s progressive agenda and ambition to end deforestation.The deal includes a two-year moratorium on allocation of further peatlands and natural forests for sector expansion, as well as a review of the land held by companies in existing concessions.
A strong moratorium is a critical step toward implementing a meaningful low-carbon development plan. Greenpeace is calling for immediate protection of all peatlands and a temporary halt on all further natural forest clearance not only in new areas, as currently planned, but also existing concession areas.
In order for Indonesia to meet its express ambitions not to be ‘locked into a growth mode that is unsustainable for our, and the world’s, environment’ it is clear that sectors such as pulp and palm oil must ‘shift to a less carbon-intensive development model’.
For human development to become truly sustainable, the close link between economic growth and greenhouse gas emissions needs to be severed.
-UNDP, ‘Human Development Report 2010’ November 2010
