Info ICCC 1st ed.

Information Media of Indonesia Climate Change Center

Editorial

550

246 243 ission Total Em e s Land Uause C e Related Peat Fir n o ti rp ector o s Ab Other S n o ti re u ta Agricult Defores Peat ion osit ation Decomp Degrad

763

info@iccc-network.net

Further information on ICCC is available on www.ICCC-network.net.

Info ICCC Team: Steering Committee: Rachmat Witoelar, Agus Purnomo, Amanda Katili Niode, Murni Titi Resdiana, Farhan Helmy, National Council on Climate Change (DNPI) Editor in Chief: Farrah Mardiati, Indonesia Climate Change Center (ICCC) Contributors: Eli Nur Nirmala Sari, Dadang Hilman, Harityas Wiyoga, Eryka Dwi Surya Purnama, Indonesia Climate Change Center (ICCC)

1st Edition - August 2012

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by. Eli Nur Nirmala Sari

Info ICCC is a quarterly newsletter which serves information on issues and study result conducted by ICCC. ICCC encourages free dissemination of information available on this newsletter for non-commercial purpose with acknowledgement of Info ICCC as the source.

or addressed

129

313

Source: Indonesia GHG Abatement Cost Curve

Established in October 2011 under the US-Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership, Indonesia Climate Change Center (ICCC) is a platform of network that reaches scientist communities, international organizations, Indonesian ministries, and academics to encourage robust science-policy linkages in support of actions to deal with issues on climate change in Indonesia.

Breakthrough in Reducing Emission in Indonesia

A

ccording to the data from the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) (2011), world’s peatland in are the biggest emitters, contributing 41.4% of the total global emissions in 2005, while the Land Use and Land Use Change (LULUCF) is the second largest emitter that contributes 37% of total global emissions. Peatland area in Indonesia covers 50% of the total peatland area in tropical countries, and in Indonesia, 38% of the total emissions from all sectors comes from peatlands. Therefore, proper peatland management is very important to support Indonesia's commitment to reduce emissions by 26% by 2020.

Several challenges persist in formulating a correct policy related to peatland management due to the limited data related to peatland, such as its coverage and its depth.

This is caused by the varying perception and understanding on peatland, so that the most fundamental and important action is to have a standard perception and understanding on peatland through a nationally accepted definition of peatland.

Realizing the importance of standardized ‘peatland definition’, DNPI and ICCC

proposed a new breakthrough that focuses on improvements of peatland related policies, which expectedly will impact on the improvement of peatland management. It is by initiating a process to define peatland through several expert and technical discussion, which involved peatland experts from national and international universities, related Indonesian ministries, research institutions and non-government organizations. Various related aspects have been discussed, such as the aspects to be considered in defining peatland in Indonesia; the most proper peatland definition that suits the condition and character of peatland in Indonesia; and peatland definition based on science that can be adopted in Indonesia.

Peatland definition context for Indonesia Peat definition is categorized into two, authoritative definition and scientific definition. Authoritative definitions have been stated by three ministries, which are Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Forestry.

1

ICCC Highlights

Information Media of Indonesia Climate Change Center

The Ministry of Environment of Indonesia defines ‘peat’ as a plant residue formed naturally through long-term decomposition processes, accumulating in swamp areas or static reservoirs. (Peraturan Menteri Negara Lingkungan Hidup No. 07/2006) The Ministry of Agriculture defines ‘peat’ as soil formed as a result of organic matter accumulation with a naturally occurring composition of greater than 65% from the decaying vegetation growing on it, whose decomposition is slowed down by anaerobic and wet conditions. (Peraturan Menteri Pertanian No. 14/Permentan/PL.110/2/2009) Meanwhile, the Ministry of Forestry defines ‘peat’ as organic matter residue accumulating over a long period of time.

(Peraturan Menteri Kehutanan Republik Indonesia No. P.69/Menhut-II/20122) Each of the above ministries defines 'peat' differently, based on their respective management objectives. The Ministry of Environment defines 'peat' for the purpose of setting the standard criteria for procedures of measuring land degradation for biomass production. These procedures are structured to achieve an understanding of methodology and suitability aspects that should be reviewed in determining the condition and status of land degradation for biomass production for the purposes of land degradation control. The Ministry of Agriculture defines ‘peat’ to create guidelines for using peatland for oil palm plantation development. The Ministry of Forestry defines ‘peat’ to develop technical guidelines for the special allocation fund (Dana Alokasi Khusus = DAK) used in forestry, and considers 'rehabilitation' and 'land' (including degraded peat) as a national policy priority. The three ministries define ‘peat’ qualitatively by specifying organic content as peat material. The Ministry of Agriculture defines ‘peat’ semi-quantitatively, by specifying that the percentage of organic matter for peat to be more than 65%. The three definitions provided are still too general to describe 'peat' in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, several scientific or taxonomic definitions have been introduced and acknowledged by scientific communities, including those developed by Wüst et al. (2003), Moris (1989), Andrejko et al.

(1983), Landva et al. (1983), Jarrett (1983), Mankinen and Gelfer (1982), Kearns et al. (1982), Kivinen and Heikurainen (1979), Davis (1946), and Arman (1923) (Table 2). Most scientific definitions are based on field observations and analyses of peat soil properties. The key elements for those definitions include physical properties, such as decomposition (humification) degree, bulk density, water content,

porosity and others, as well as chemical properties, such as carbon content, ash content, pH, and C/N ratio.

Most scientific peat definitions have been developed for boreal and humid temperate regions which failed to recognize the distinctive features and uses of tropical peats. The characteristics of peat in boreal and humid temperate regions are different from those of tropical peat that can be very fibric and having very high organic content. Temperate and boreal peats are often dominated by bryophytes and shrubs while tropical peats are often dominated by woody materials. Therefore, those definitions need modification in order to accommodate the peatland condition and characteristics in Indonesia.

ICCC Highlights

ICCC Portal: Visualizing Data on a Map

Peatland definition by ICCC: A breakthrough Having organized a series of technical meetings and consultations with eminent scientists, and key stakeholders and governmental representatives from national and international organizations, Peatland definition has to include the key elements of carbon content or mineral content and minimum thickness. After defining ‘peatland’, carbon stock and flux estimations are necessary to assess the magnitude of GHG emission reductions for policy or management interventions. Based on the gap analysis lies between authoritative and scientific definition of peatland, recommendations from the expert meeting as well as suggestion from experts and reviewer, ICCC has come up with a peatland definition which can be used to support Indonesia’s emission reduction target.

ICCC defines peatland as an area with an accumulation of partly decomposed organic matter, with ash content equal to or less than 35%, peat depth equal to or deeper than 50 cm, and organic carbon content (by weight) of at least 12%.

A key action proposed to follow up this peatland definition is standardizing peatland delineation. Through several expert discussions, three categories have been identified in delineating peatland, which are delineating based on peat layer, peatland hydrology area, and land use of peatland area.

It is important to emphasize that the process of delineating peatland is related to improvements on peatland management which can support green house gas emission reduction. Therefore, standardizing peatland definition and move forward with peatland delineation are necessary starting points to a robust policy related to peatland and a better peatland management, which can slow the loss of peatland.•

D

eveloping a portal is one of ICCC’s work programs as it will be the center of information about the issues and study findings generated

by ICCC. This portal is a medium that contains both static and dynamic data that can be accessed by a wide audience, especially connected to data, science and model related to the available themes, that are presented with the support of the latest facilities and technology. It is hoped that the portal will become a forum for the dissemination of scientific discussions, data, reports, publications and other sources of information that anyone, anywhere can reach.

Data that are presented in the portal are static such as matters connected with organizations, and also dynamic such as news that will be kept up to date on a regular basis. In addition, the portal also offers a data base related to the different programs of the Cluster and also an interactive visual function so that the community can align their needs for the information they are looking for. In addition to providing information for analysis and integration, the portal will also accommodate discussions among stakeholders and the general public.

Supported by the data provided by ICCC team, the portal has already been introduced to the relevant community at an event called the Indonesia Climate Change Education Forum and Expo 2012 that was held on 19 April 2012. The launch of ICCC Portal ran smoothly immediately after the opening ceremony of the Forum and Expo which was attended by the Environment Minister, the Governor of East Kalimantan and invited guests from overseas.

The portal’s development process will continue and right now it has reached the stage at which it can be used. The knowledge transfer process from the portal’s developer to ICCC has already been carried out. The process that is going on at the moment is the compiling of documentation about the development of the portal, like its technical guide, user’s guide, projections about the development of the portal, its source code, and other technical documents.

The development of the integrated portal uses the Mashup concept, which is utilizing and synergizing various web services available on the internet, with regard to data, functionality and presentation. The final result from the Maship concept is a dynamic presentation which is rich in content. The portal also offers content such as presentations, statistical information and dynamic visualization through infographics which is the next activity target for ICCC portal. The development of the integrated portal will be carried out with the development of a spatial and non-spatial data base that is integrated with various information networks, both national and international, especially those related to the cluster activity, including the National Spatial Data Network (Jaringan Data Spasial Nasional - JDSN) coordinated by the Badan Informasi Geospasial dan Pengembangan Jejaring (Geospatial Information and Network Building Agency) coordinated by the REDD+ Work Unit.•

Berbak Peatland Forest, Jambi - Sumatra.

(Matt Warren/USFS)

2

Information Media of Indonesia Climate Change Center

1st Edition - August 2012

1st Edition - August 2012

3

ICCC Highlights

Information Media of Indonesia Climate Change Center

The Ministry of Environment of Indonesia defines ‘peat’ as a plant residue formed naturally through long-term decomposition processes, accumulating in swamp areas or static reservoirs. (Peraturan Menteri Negara Lingkungan Hidup No. 07/2006) The Ministry of Agriculture defines ‘peat’ as soil formed as a result of organic matter accumulation with a naturally occurring composition of greater than 65% from the decaying vegetation growing on it, whose decomposition is slowed down by anaerobic and wet conditions. (Peraturan Menteri Pertanian No. 14/Permentan/PL.110/2/2009) Meanwhile, the Ministry of Forestry defines ‘peat’ as organic matter residue accumulating over a long period of time.

(Peraturan Menteri Kehutanan Republik Indonesia No. P.69/Menhut-II/20122) Each of the above ministries defines 'peat' differently, based on their respective management objectives. The Ministry of Environment defines 'peat' for the purpose of setting the standard criteria for procedures of measuring land degradation for biomass production. These procedures are structured to achieve an understanding of methodology and suitability aspects that should be reviewed in determining the condition and status of land degradation for biomass production for the purposes of land degradation control. The Ministry of Agriculture defines ‘peat’ to create guidelines for using peatland for oil palm plantation development. The Ministry of Forestry defines ‘peat’ to develop technical guidelines for the special allocation fund (Dana Alokasi Khusus = DAK) used in forestry, and considers 'rehabilitation' and 'land' (including degraded peat) as a national policy priority. The three ministries define ‘peat’ qualitatively by specifying organic content as peat material. The Ministry of Agriculture defines ‘peat’ semi-quantitatively, by specifying that the percentage of organic matter for peat to be more than 65%. The three definitions provided are still too general to describe 'peat' in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, several scientific or taxonomic definitions have been introduced and acknowledged by scientific communities, including those developed by Wüst et al. (2003), Moris (1989), Andrejko et al.

(1983), Landva et al. (1983), Jarrett (1983), Mankinen and Gelfer (1982), Kearns et al. (1982), Kivinen and Heikurainen (1979), Davis (1946), and Arman (1923) (Table 2). Most scientific definitions are based on field observations and analyses of peat soil properties. The key elements for those definitions include physical properties, such as decomposition (humification) degree, bulk density, water content,

porosity and others, as well as chemical properties, such as carbon content, ash content, pH, and C/N ratio.

Most scientific peat definitions have been developed for boreal and humid temperate regions which failed to recognize the distinctive features and uses of tropical peats. The characteristics of peat in boreal and humid temperate regions are different from those of tropical peat that can be very fibric and having very high organic content. Temperate and boreal peats are often dominated by bryophytes and shrubs while tropical peats are often dominated by woody materials. Therefore, those definitions need modification in order to accommodate the peatland condition and characteristics in Indonesia.

ICCC Highlights

ICCC Portal: Visualizing Data on a Map

Peatland definition by ICCC: A breakthrough Having organized a series of technical meetings and consultations with eminent scientists, and key stakeholders and governmental representatives from national and international organizations, Peatland definition has to include the key elements of carbon content or mineral content and minimum thickness. After defining ‘peatland’, carbon stock and flux estimations are necessary to assess the magnitude of GHG emission reductions for policy or management interventions. Based on the gap analysis lies between authoritative and scientific definition of peatland, recommendations from the expert meeting as well as suggestion from experts and reviewer, ICCC has come up with a peatland definition which can be used to support Indonesia’s emission reduction target.

ICCC defines peatland as an area with an accumulation of partly decomposed organic matter, with ash content equal to or less than 35%, peat depth equal to or deeper than 50 cm, and organic carbon content (by weight) of at least 12%.

A key action proposed to follow up this peatland definition is standardizing peatland delineation. Through several expert discussions, three categories have been identified in delineating peatland, which are delineating based on peat layer, peatland hydrology area, and land use of peatland area.

It is important to emphasize that the process of delineating peatland is related to improvements on peatland management which can support green house gas emission reduction. Therefore, standardizing peatland definition and move forward with peatland delineation are necessary starting points to a robust policy related to peatland and a better peatland management, which can slow the loss of peatland.•

D

eveloping a portal is one of ICCC’s work programs as it will be the center of information about the issues and study findings generated

by ICCC. This portal is a medium that contains both static and dynamic data that can be accessed by a wide audience, especially connected to data, science and model related to the available themes, that are presented with the support of the latest facilities and technology. It is hoped that the portal will become a forum for the dissemination of scientific discussions, data, reports, publications and other sources of information that anyone, anywhere can reach.

Data that are presented in the portal are static such as matters connected with organizations, and also dynamic such as news that will be kept up to date on a regular basis. In addition, the portal also offers a data base related to the different programs of the Cluster and also an interactive visual function so that the community can align their needs for the information they are looking for. In addition to providing information for analysis and integration, the portal will also accommodate discussions among stakeholders and the general public.

Supported by the data provided by ICCC team, the portal has already been introduced to the relevant community at an event called the Indonesia Climate Change Education Forum and Expo 2012 that was held on 19 April 2012. The launch of ICCC Portal ran smoothly immediately after the opening ceremony of the Forum and Expo which was attended by the Environment Minister, the Governor of East Kalimantan and invited guests from overseas.

The portal’s development process will continue and right now it has reached the stage at which it can be used. The knowledge transfer process from the portal’s developer to ICCC has already been carried out. The process that is going on at the moment is the compiling of documentation about the development of the portal, like its technical guide, user’s guide, projections about the development of the portal, its source code, and other technical documents.

The development of the integrated portal uses the Mashup concept, which is utilizing and synergizing various web services available on the internet, with regard to data, functionality and presentation. The final result from the Maship concept is a dynamic presentation which is rich in content. The portal also offers content such as presentations, statistical information and dynamic visualization through infographics which is the next activity target for ICCC portal. The development of the integrated portal will be carried out with the development of a spatial and non-spatial data base that is integrated with various information networks, both national and international, especially those related to the cluster activity, including the National Spatial Data Network (Jaringan Data Spasial Nasional - JDSN) coordinated by the Badan Informasi Geospasial dan Pengembangan Jejaring (Geospatial Information and Network Building Agency) coordinated by the REDD+ Work Unit.•

Berbak Peatland Forest, Jambi - Sumatra.

(Matt Warren/USFS)

2

Information Media of Indonesia Climate Change Center

1st Edition - August 2012

1st Edition - August 2012

3

Information Media of Indonesia Climate Change Center

ICCC Highlights

Bringing forward Peatland Issues to International Communities by. Eli Nur Nurmala Sari

G

Indonesia has the largest peatland area in Southeast Asia, and is one of the five major tropical peatland countries in the world. The other four are Brazil, Democratic Republic of Congo, Papua New Guinea, and Malaysia. According to Joosten and Clarke (2002) in Wetland International (2011), around thirty countries are responsible for the largest greenhouse gas emissions from peatland, including many from non-Annex I countries. The majority of the 130 million hectares of peatland in non-Annex I countries are naturally forested, containing about 100 billion tonnes of carbon - most of which is in their soils.

The degradation of peatland in developing countries through drainage and peat fires causes annual emissions of an estimated 1.2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide. In Southeast Asia the loss of peatland has been dramatic. In the last 20 years, more than 12 million hectares have been drained; and more than 3 million hecatres have been burnt. The recent decline of peatland forests is twice the rate of decline of other forests.

There needs to be urgent action to halt this. In the context of global emission, however, peatland has not been discussed specifically and intensively. At the UNFCCC, peatland is included in the wetlands

4

Information Media of Indonesia Climate Change Center

Finalizing Peatlands Definition for Indonesia

A

s a follow up to the preliminary discussions about determining the definition of peatland, the Indonesia Climate Change Center (ICCC) held a meeting on 10 May 2012 in order to process the finalization of the policy brief on the definition of peatlands by compiling the suggestions and recommendations of the participants in the course of finalizing the policy brief.

The agreement reached at this meeting was that peatlands have to be defined according to measurable indicators such as the concentration of carbon or minerals stored in the peat, the depth of the peat (with surveys in the field), the estimated carbon reserves and the carbon flux. However, social and economic factors also have to be considered more specifically during the peatland delineation process.

When defining and decribing the land, the first stage is establishing a general definition of peatland and the second stage is to elaborate upon that definition of peatland according to the description of the layers of peat, its hydrological measurements, and finally an analysis of the management of the peatland in order to know how the land may be used while not increasing the emissions. These stages are thought of as facilitating policy makers in carrying out activities in support of REDD.•

The world’s peatlands are threatened by drainage and wild fires. Available data shows that more than 300,000 hectares of peatland in Indonesia is degraded annually, totaling approximately 10 million hectares damaged peatland so far. (Eli Nur Nirmala Sari/ICCC).

lobally, peat occupies only 2.7% of the world’s land-mass, but it stores approximately 30% of terrestrial peatland carbon stocks. This figure represents huge amounts of carbon, by far greater than any other types of forests in the world. The world’s peatlands are threatened by drainage and wild fires. Available data shows that more than 300,000 hectares of peatland in Indonesia is degraded annually, totaling approximately 10 million hectares damaged peatland so far. Peatland degradation, thus, results in larger emissions compared to those of any other.

ICCC Activity

category, and it has been discussed by the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex 1 Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP), specifically under Land Use, Land Use and Forestry (LULUCF) section. There has been little attention to bring peatland to global attention. Lack of information, unreliable data, and other uncertainties discourage state parties to discuss and negotiate peatland at the UNFCCC forum. However, a new accounting activity is proposed for the second commitment period to provide incentives to reduce emissions from drained peatland in Annex-I countries. The UNFCCC definition of forest covers all peat forests, including all peat forests temporarily destocked (deforested) as these will naturally revert to forest at some point in time. In the future, peatlands not naturally reforested could possibly also be addressed under this or other similar mechanism.

The meeting of experts who finalized the definition of the peatlands (Farrah Mardiati/ICCC)

Peatland Mapping Methodology

S

After the series of meetings for experts to finalize the process of defining peatlands, ICCC has already held a follow up meeting on 20 June 2012 to discuss the standards for peatland mapping methodology which was attended by scientists, along with representatives from government departments and bodies, and both national and international organizations.

This meeting sought to deliver the results of the formulation of the 'Definition of Peatland’ as well as discuss a scientifically precise peatland mapping methodology that has been, and needs to be, implemented in Indonesia in order to support emission reduction targets.

The REDD mechanism offers tremendous opportunities for protecting and restoring peat forests. Under REDD+ negotiations, however, peatland has not yet been specifically treated as an important component. None of the state parties have brought sufficient attention to this matter. Political and technical constraints are the main barriers for not bringing peatlands to national or global attention. Yet, inclusion of incentives to support the reduction of emissions from degradation of peatland and other forest types with high carbon stocks is crucial in any future REDD mechanism.

Reducing emissions from peatland in REDD could involve five areas, such as protection of remaining intact peat forests; restoration of degraded and drained peatland; prevention of peat forest fires; restriction the development of new plantation concessions on peat; and reduction of emissions from existing plantations.•

1st Edition - August 2012

In order to provide accurate data in support of emissions reduction, the government needs to work with scientists to establish the basic parameters that need to be used in a mapping activity. In addition to this, it is also important to review the results of the work of government institutions as well as the researchers with regard to the mapping of peatland. With this, stakeholders are able to identify current activities so as to determine various matters which need to be followed up.

Peatland mapping methodology workshop held as a follow up to the peatland definition and delineation process (Harityas Wiyoga/ICCC).

1st Edition - August 2012

A further meeting to discuss peatland mapping methodology will be held in the first week of August 2012 to seek a consensus among the experts related to the methods used to delineate and map peatland in Indonesia, as well as monitoring methods.•

5

Information Media of Indonesia Climate Change Center

ICCC Highlights

Bringing forward Peatland Issues to International Communities by. Eli Nur Nurmala Sari

G

Indonesia has the largest peatland area in Southeast Asia, and is one of the five major tropical peatland countries in the world. The other four are Brazil, Democratic Republic of Congo, Papua New Guinea, and Malaysia. According to Joosten and Clarke (2002) in Wetland International (2011), around thirty countries are responsible for the largest greenhouse gas emissions from peatland, including many from non-Annex I countries. The majority of the 130 million hectares of peatland in non-Annex I countries are naturally forested, containing about 100 billion tonnes of carbon - most of which is in their soils.

The degradation of peatland in developing countries through drainage and peat fires causes annual emissions of an estimated 1.2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide. In Southeast Asia the loss of peatland has been dramatic. In the last 20 years, more than 12 million hectares have been drained; and more than 3 million hecatres have been burnt. The recent decline of peatland forests is twice the rate of decline of other forests.

There needs to be urgent action to halt this. In the context of global emission, however, peatland has not been discussed specifically and intensively. At the UNFCCC, peatland is included in the wetlands

4

Information Media of Indonesia Climate Change Center

Finalizing Peatlands Definition for Indonesia

A

s a follow up to the preliminary discussions about determining the definition of peatland, the Indonesia Climate Change Center (ICCC) held a meeting on 10 May 2012 in order to process the finalization of the policy brief on the definition of peatlands by compiling the suggestions and recommendations of the participants in the course of finalizing the policy brief.

The agreement reached at this meeting was that peatlands have to be defined according to measurable indicators such as the concentration of carbon or minerals stored in the peat, the depth of the peat (with surveys in the field), the estimated carbon reserves and the carbon flux. However, social and economic factors also have to be considered more specifically during the peatland delineation process.

When defining and decribing the land, the first stage is establishing a general definition of peatland and the second stage is to elaborate upon that definition of peatland according to the description of the layers of peat, its hydrological measurements, and finally an analysis of the management of the peatland in order to know how the land may be used while not increasing the emissions. These stages are thought of as facilitating policy makers in carrying out activities in support of REDD.•

The world’s peatlands are threatened by drainage and wild fires. Available data shows that more than 300,000 hectares of peatland in Indonesia is degraded annually, totaling approximately 10 million hectares damaged peatland so far. (Eli Nur Nirmala Sari/ICCC).

lobally, peat occupies only 2.7% of the world’s land-mass, but it stores approximately 30% of terrestrial peatland carbon stocks. This figure represents huge amounts of carbon, by far greater than any other types of forests in the world. The world’s peatlands are threatened by drainage and wild fires. Available data shows that more than 300,000 hectares of peatland in Indonesia is degraded annually, totaling approximately 10 million hectares damaged peatland so far. Peatland degradation, thus, results in larger emissions compared to those of any other.

ICCC Activity

category, and it has been discussed by the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex 1 Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP), specifically under Land Use, Land Use and Forestry (LULUCF) section. There has been little attention to bring peatland to global attention. Lack of information, unreliable data, and other uncertainties discourage state parties to discuss and negotiate peatland at the UNFCCC forum. However, a new accounting activity is proposed for the second commitment period to provide incentives to reduce emissions from drained peatland in Annex-I countries. The UNFCCC definition of forest covers all peat forests, including all peat forests temporarily destocked (deforested) as these will naturally revert to forest at some point in time. In the future, peatlands not naturally reforested could possibly also be addressed under this or other similar mechanism.

The meeting of experts who finalized the definition of the peatlands (Farrah Mardiati/ICCC)

Peatland Mapping Methodology

S

After the series of meetings for experts to finalize the process of defining peatlands, ICCC has already held a follow up meeting on 20 June 2012 to discuss the standards for peatland mapping methodology which was attended by scientists, along with representatives from government departments and bodies, and both national and international organizations.

This meeting sought to deliver the results of the formulation of the 'Definition of Peatland’ as well as discuss a scientifically precise peatland mapping methodology that has been, and needs to be, implemented in Indonesia in order to support emission reduction targets.

The REDD mechanism offers tremendous opportunities for protecting and restoring peat forests. Under REDD+ negotiations, however, peatland has not yet been specifically treated as an important component. None of the state parties have brought sufficient attention to this matter. Political and technical constraints are the main barriers for not bringing peatlands to national or global attention. Yet, inclusion of incentives to support the reduction of emissions from degradation of peatland and other forest types with high carbon stocks is crucial in any future REDD mechanism.

Reducing emissions from peatland in REDD could involve five areas, such as protection of remaining intact peat forests; restoration of degraded and drained peatland; prevention of peat forest fires; restriction the development of new plantation concessions on peat; and reduction of emissions from existing plantations.•

1st Edition - August 2012

In order to provide accurate data in support of emissions reduction, the government needs to work with scientists to establish the basic parameters that need to be used in a mapping activity. In addition to this, it is also important to review the results of the work of government institutions as well as the researchers with regard to the mapping of peatland. With this, stakeholders are able to identify current activities so as to determine various matters which need to be followed up.

Peatland mapping methodology workshop held as a follow up to the peatland definition and delineation process (Harityas Wiyoga/ICCC).

1st Edition - August 2012

A further meeting to discuss peatland mapping methodology will be held in the first week of August 2012 to seek a consensus among the experts related to the methods used to delineate and map peatland in Indonesia, as well as monitoring methods.•

5

Information Media of Indonesia Climate Change Center

ICCC Highlights

Interview

Information Media of Indonesia Climate Change Center

Rachmat Witoelar On The Vision and Mission of

ICCC by. Farrah Mardiati

I

n 2010, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and President Obama reached an agreement on cooperation between the Indonesian and U.S. governments within the framework of the U.S.-Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership. The two nations set out a Plan of Action that covers six working parties, namely in the fields of education, defence and security, energy, democracy and civil society, trade and investment, as well as climate and the environment. One of the activities announced by the two presidents was the establishment of the Climate Change Study Center in Indonesia which was followed up on by the working party on climate and environment.

Here are some quotes from an interview with the Executive Chair of the National Council on Climate Change Indonesia (DNPI), Rachmat Witoelar, about the setting up of the climate change study center which is called the Indonesia Climate Change Center (ICCC).

Q: Why does Indonesia need a Climate Change Center?

Climate Resilience ClusterIndonesia Climate Change Center by. Dadang Hilman

A

s a large nation that is also an archipelago with about 17,000 islands, Indonesia needs comprehensive solutions to the challenges stemming from climate change, which integrate, into the the nation’s development plan, measures aimed at adapting to the change.

In the development of actions to tackle the issues of climate change, especially in terms of adaptation or climate resilience, Indonesia already has a wide range of programs or activities undertaken by various ministries / agencies. However, given the broad and complex scope, there are rooms for improvement and refinement for future implementation. The most strategic one is to bring science-based policies to address cross-cutting issues so that it can be implemented, especially in the most vulnerable areas.

To meet this challenge, ICCC through the Climate Resilience Cluster aims at strengthening the existing and ongoing efforts, as well as identified and fill in the gap between what the needs in the fields and appropriate policies related to climate resilience in Indonesia.

ICCC will undertake several activities focusing on facilitation of scientific discussion forum with scientists and academics from various disciplines and interaction with the representatives of the authoritative or partners, to be followed up further to the decision-makers at the national level.

The approach used by the Climate Resilience Cluster was to establish three sectors that would be the focus of the study, namely agriculture, urban management, and coastal areas along with various aspects related to climate risk management. While developing its work program, the Climate Resilience Cluster has already held discussions about Climate Resilience in the Agriculture Sector. That meeting had the purpose of studying the appropriate scientific approach to support food security in particular when addressing the problem of climate resilience. The inputs received at this meeting will form the basis for developing the Climate Resilience Cluster’s work plan with regard to the agriculture sector. In parallel to this, the Cluster has also made a gap analysis the focus of another study, such as urban management and coastal analysis.•

6

1st Edition - August 2012

Rachmat Witoelar: Executive Chair of the National Council on Climate Change Indonesia (DNPI)

decree. As the initiator of ICCC, DNPI has the task of handling the conciliation between all these elements. As such, it is hoped that ICCC will function to facilitate coordination between these various players over the issue of climate change.

A: Right now, Indonesia is actively involved in world efforts to combat climate change because it was the first developing nation to voluntarily commit to reducing its emisions by 26% before 2020. Indonesia is very aware that the issue of climate is a very important component of development. Of course, it is not something that can be handled by just one or two individuals or organisations, and it is better for it to be done cooperatively within a work network.

Q: What are the challenges faced by ICCC in the efforts to support the reduction of emissions in Indonesia?

Meanwhile in Indonesia, the availability of data on climate change is very varied, and it is possible for this data to differ from one organisation to the next. Therefore, in order to build a development strategy that embraces social, economic, environmental, and climate change elements, as well as international links, it is very important for Indonesia to have one umbrella organization or network that provides data about climate chage that integrates scientific and socio-economic matters.

Q: According to you, what is the target for success for ICCC in supporting Indonesia’s efforts to reduce emissions?

What needs to be emphasized is that ICCC will become a network that will involve national and international scientific experts, and policy makers such as the relevant government bodies in Indonesia, as well as working with other countries including developing countries, in order to produce scientific studies and recommendations about climate change in Indonesia that can become references for development strategy and policy in this country.

Q: What about the possibility of there being similar entities in the future and what differentiates ICCC from other bodies addressing the issue of climate change that already exist.

A: There being similar entities is not impossible. We very much respect other existing bodies in Indonesia and we will of course involve them in this cooperation. The DNPI, headed by the President, has the bigger mandate because of the presidential

1st Edition - August 2012

A: Firstly there is institution building so that the different elements do not collide or overlap. Secondly, a challenge for us is to be reliable in gathering together all the experts and building a large network that includes the individual experts, environmental study centers, and other related institutions.

A: ICCC’s target for success is qualitative, that is to say if we can respond to these issues by providing scientific knowledge, data, and facilities including human resources, information and communication resources, and the web site. These are things that will enable ICCC to carry out its function as a center for climate change, environment and development strategies for Indonesia.

T: What are your hopes with regard to ICCC? A: ICCC needs to acquit itself seriously and be committed to gathering experts together and lobbying institutions. The team that has been set up has to reach out and I myself will link the team up to cooperation at the international level, because since the team was formed ICCC has been an international cooperation.

As such, my hope is that this partnership will be strong and continuous, as well as able to attract and accept interested parties from other countries so that ICCC can always provide a service with regard to development strategies, in Indonesia especially.

7

Information Media of Indonesia Climate Change Center

ICCC Highlights

Interview

Information Media of Indonesia Climate Change Center

Rachmat Witoelar On The Vision and Mission of

ICCC by. Farrah Mardiati

I

n 2010, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and President Obama reached an agreement on cooperation between the Indonesian and U.S. governments within the framework of the U.S.-Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership. The two nations set out a Plan of Action that covers six working parties, namely in the fields of education, defence and security, energy, democracy and civil society, trade and investment, as well as climate and the environment. One of the activities announced by the two presidents was the establishment of the Climate Change Study Center in Indonesia which was followed up on by the working party on climate and environment.

Here are some quotes from an interview with the Executive Chair of the National Council on Climate Change Indonesia (DNPI), Rachmat Witoelar, about the setting up of the climate change study center which is called the Indonesia Climate Change Center (ICCC).

Q: Why does Indonesia need a Climate Change Center?

Climate Resilience ClusterIndonesia Climate Change Center by. Dadang Hilman

A

s a large nation that is also an archipelago with about 17,000 islands, Indonesia needs comprehensive solutions to the challenges stemming from climate change, which integrate, into the the nation’s development plan, measures aimed at adapting to the change.

In the development of actions to tackle the issues of climate change, especially in terms of adaptation or climate resilience, Indonesia already has a wide range of programs or activities undertaken by various ministries / agencies. However, given the broad and complex scope, there are rooms for improvement and refinement for future implementation. The most strategic one is to bring science-based policies to address cross-cutting issues so that it can be implemented, especially in the most vulnerable areas.

To meet this challenge, ICCC through the Climate Resilience Cluster aims at strengthening the existing and ongoing efforts, as well as identified and fill in the gap between what the needs in the fields and appropriate policies related to climate resilience in Indonesia.

ICCC will undertake several activities focusing on facilitation of scientific discussion forum with scientists and academics from various disciplines and interaction with the representatives of the authoritative or partners, to be followed up further to the decision-makers at the national level.

The approach used by the Climate Resilience Cluster was to establish three sectors that would be the focus of the study, namely agriculture, urban management, and coastal areas along with various aspects related to climate risk management. While developing its work program, the Climate Resilience Cluster has already held discussions about Climate Resilience in the Agriculture Sector. That meeting had the purpose of studying the appropriate scientific approach to support food security in particular when addressing the problem of climate resilience. The inputs received at this meeting will form the basis for developing the Climate Resilience Cluster’s work plan with regard to the agriculture sector. In parallel to this, the Cluster has also made a gap analysis the focus of another study, such as urban management and coastal analysis.•

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1st Edition - August 2012

Rachmat Witoelar: Executive Chair of the National Council on Climate Change Indonesia (DNPI)

decree. As the initiator of ICCC, DNPI has the task of handling the conciliation between all these elements. As such, it is hoped that ICCC will function to facilitate coordination between these various players over the issue of climate change.

A: Right now, Indonesia is actively involved in world efforts to combat climate change because it was the first developing nation to voluntarily commit to reducing its emisions by 26% before 2020. Indonesia is very aware that the issue of climate is a very important component of development. Of course, it is not something that can be handled by just one or two individuals or organisations, and it is better for it to be done cooperatively within a work network.

Q: What are the challenges faced by ICCC in the efforts to support the reduction of emissions in Indonesia?

Meanwhile in Indonesia, the availability of data on climate change is very varied, and it is possible for this data to differ from one organisation to the next. Therefore, in order to build a development strategy that embraces social, economic, environmental, and climate change elements, as well as international links, it is very important for Indonesia to have one umbrella organization or network that provides data about climate chage that integrates scientific and socio-economic matters.

Q: According to you, what is the target for success for ICCC in supporting Indonesia’s efforts to reduce emissions?

What needs to be emphasized is that ICCC will become a network that will involve national and international scientific experts, and policy makers such as the relevant government bodies in Indonesia, as well as working with other countries including developing countries, in order to produce scientific studies and recommendations about climate change in Indonesia that can become references for development strategy and policy in this country.

Q: What about the possibility of there being similar entities in the future and what differentiates ICCC from other bodies addressing the issue of climate change that already exist.

A: There being similar entities is not impossible. We very much respect other existing bodies in Indonesia and we will of course involve them in this cooperation. The DNPI, headed by the President, has the bigger mandate because of the presidential

1st Edition - August 2012

A: Firstly there is institution building so that the different elements do not collide or overlap. Secondly, a challenge for us is to be reliable in gathering together all the experts and building a large network that includes the individual experts, environmental study centers, and other related institutions.

A: ICCC’s target for success is qualitative, that is to say if we can respond to these issues by providing scientific knowledge, data, and facilities including human resources, information and communication resources, and the web site. These are things that will enable ICCC to carry out its function as a center for climate change, environment and development strategies for Indonesia.

T: What are your hopes with regard to ICCC? A: ICCC needs to acquit itself seriously and be committed to gathering experts together and lobbying institutions. The team that has been set up has to reach out and I myself will link the team up to cooperation at the international level, because since the team was formed ICCC has been an international cooperation.

As such, my hope is that this partnership will be strong and continuous, as well as able to attract and accept interested parties from other countries so that ICCC can always provide a service with regard to development strategies, in Indonesia especially.

7

ICCC Activity

Information Media of Indonesia Climate Change Center

Workshop on Climate Resilience in Agriculture

Representing the World Bank, Yoko Doi explains the concept of micro-assurance for small farmers at the Climate Resilience and Agriculture Workshop (Farrah Mardiati/ICCC)

I

t cannot be denied that modern technology and progress in the agriculture sector has helped increase productivity. This has been fundamental in fulfilling the needs, with regard to food, of Indonesia’s ever increasing population, in making the economy grow as necessary, and contributing to poverty reduction in countries that rely on their agricultural products, as Indonesia does. However, in certain situations, modern and advanced technology can cause ecological damage, soil degradation, unsustainable use of resources, epidemics of pests and diseases, as well as cause health problems for both livestock and humans. With this challenge in mind, ICCC set up its Climate Resilience Cluster which will consider climate resilience policy and action in the agriculture, urban and coastal sectors.

As a first step, ICCC has held a one day workshop on climate resilience in the agriculture sector. The aim of this workshop was to discuss agriculture concepts that can improve food security while at the same time support the emission reduction program. In addition to this, the meeting also discussed activities related to adapting to climate change and mitigation steps in the agriculture sector as well as supporting aspects such as information about climate and weather issues, funding and negotiation.

At this workshop, ICCC invited representatives from the FAO to make a presentation about the concept of climate friendly farming. Other subjects presented and discussed were micro-assurance for poor farmers, the meteorological agency’s services that support climate resilience with regard to agriculture, the impact of greenhouse gases on agriculture in Indonesia, along with its application to agriculture in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, five important points were successfully identified in this Workshop on Climate Resilience in the Agriculture Sector and these will be explored further by the Climate Resilience Cluster. The Cluster needs to hold more focused discussions on the availability of data and information, assessment and analysis (policy assessment & policy matrix) of existing agriculture policy, the calendar for sowing crops with a focus on synergizing the Agriculture Ministry and the BMKG (Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics), especially with regard to the flow of information down to the Sub-district level. No less important was the focused discussion on government intervention into micro-assurance for poor farmers, along with the issue of integrating mitigation aspects into the climate resilience program (including the issue of deforestation).•

Capturing Aquaculture Farmers’ Adaptation Measures in Serang, Banten

O

n 16 July, the Coordinator of the Climate Resilience Cluster participated in a field activity that was organized by the DNPI (National Council on Climate Change Indonesia). This activity was a visit to the site of the Biorights Project that is run by Wetland International.

Visiting the coastal area of Serang, Banten, or more precisely, the village of Sawah Luhur, ICCC had the opportunity to communicate with local aquaculture farmers who were involved in taking adaptation measures, restoring the mangroves in support of sustainable shrimp and bandeng (milkfish) farming, increasing productivity which had a knock on effect on their financial situation, while at the same time supporting efforts to adapt to climate change. This visit was an initiation in seeing at first hand adaptation measures in the coastal area, which is one of the focuses of ICCC program by way of its Climate Resilience Cluster, in addition to agriculture and urban management.•

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Taking pictures of aquaculture farmers taking adaptation measures in Serang, Banten. In addition to being one effort to adapt to climate change in coastal areas, restoration of mangroves by the aquaculture farmers also supports the improvement of aquaculture production (Farrah Mardiati/ICCC).

1st Edition - August 2012