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SBY to Push for Consensus in Copenhagen DUBAI – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Sunday Indonesia must be able to be part of a solution if the ongoing UN climate change talks in Copenhagen come to a standstill.

“I

have written to the Danish prime minister informing him of the Indonesian proposal and to offer an alternative in case of a deadlock. And he has given a positive response,” Yudhoyono said aboard a plane before making a stopover in Dubai en route to Brussels, Antara reported yesterday. It is likely the Copenhagen meeting will be difficult with participating countries getting embroiled in heated talks, he said.

ing with European Union President Manuel Durao Barroso, has expressed his hoped that the EU would lift its ban on all Indonesian airline flights in 2010. “I appreciate the fact that the ban on four Indonesian airlines has already been lifted in 2009. I hope the lifting can apply to more airlines in 2010,” the president said at the EU headquarters on Monday morning local time. The head of state said that the flight ban was one of the issues he had discussed at his one-hour meeting with the EU president.

“I predict it will become tough. Many have pinned hopes on Indonesia to be part of the solution. And I will be on standby and lobby for the meeting to reach a consensus,” he said. “There have been requests from several countries such as Australia, Ukraine, and Norway to always communicate (with us). We are lucky that we are taken into account at a time when the Copenhagen meeting is under the shadow of failure,” he added.

On July 13, 2009, the EU lifted its flight ban on four Indonesian airlines, namely Garuda, Mandala, Premiair and Airfast. It is now expected that the EU would also lift its ban on four other Indonesian airlines, namely Lion Air, Metro Batavia, Indonesia Airasia and Travira Air. In the meantime, the European Commission`s president said that the lifting of the ban was in the hands of the flight experts committee consisting of representatives from EU`s member countries. Barroso congratulated Indonesia for its success in improving the quality and standards of its aviation safety. But what the EU would do next would depend on the assessment of its technical team in the field, he said.

RI to reduce gas emissions by 26% until 2020

In Jakarta, Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan said that Indonesia is committed to reducing its gas emissions by 26% in several phases until 2020. “The forestry sector is expected to help reduce gas emissions to 14% in the first phase,” the minister said when declaring the formation of a National Forest Management Unit (KPH) at Taman Hutan Raya Ngurah Rai on Monday. Present at the function were also Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika, seven other provincial governors, and representatives of 23 districts where KPH branches would be set up. Zulkifli said the remaining 12 percent of gas emissions was expected to be tackled by other development sectors concerned about environmental preservation. He said Indonesia had a high sense of awareness and responsibility about reducing gas emissions, and this attitude was hopefully to be imitated by the developed countries. “High awareness of all countries to reduce gas emission is necessary to save the earth from climate change problems,” Zulkifli said. He said the Forestry Ministry`s work program for the next five years would be focused on forest preservation for the people`s welfare. “It is in line with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono`s policy that development in the forestry sector should lead to stabilization of micro economics to support economic development. The president visited Brussels (December 14), Paris (December 15) and Germany (December 16) and flew to Copenhagen for the climate change talks which will bring together more than 100 world leaders. Yudhoyono, Barroso discuss flight ban lifting

The president, during a meet-

bali action plan key to success of climate change conference

Indonesia will be inundated by heavy floods that will affect around 150 million of its population living in coastal areas if the sea level rises by 80 cm as the temperature of the earth rises by 4 Celsius degree over the next five years.

President SBY in Brussels holds a joint press conference with EU President Manuel Durao Barroso

risks such as malaria and dengue fever. “Frequency of forest fires will also increase, causing trees to be deprived from water,” he added. Hatfull said the British government is committed to pushing countries in the COP-15 summit to agree on carbon emission reduction of 34% by 2020, adding that Britain is the first country with a legal framework that requires it to cut emission by 80% by 2050. A study by the Asian Development Bank showed that Indonesia is most vulnerable to climate

A study by the Asian Development Bank showed that Indonesia is most vulnerable to climate change and Jakarta being most risky. This condition will also lead to extreme weather condition that will cause rice production in Indonesia, China, India and Bangladesh to plunge by 30%, creating a new wave of food crisis. This shocking revelation was made based on a study by British scientists commissioned by the UK government to create a map of what would happen if the Copenhagen climate change summit failed. During the Modernisator Speaker’s Forum 10 “The Climate Challenge: Make or Break in Copenhagen?” in Jakarta on Monday, December 7, British Ambassador to Indonesia Martin Hatfull said climate change would affect all regions of the globe with some suffering worse than others. “The climate change will affect fresh water availability. Serious drought will happen twice as often and this will impact crop productivity and food productions,” said Hatfull, adding that Indonesia would also witness the loss of coral reefs, growing health

change and Jakarta being most risky. To minimize the devastating impacts of climate change, Indonesia will fight for the enforcement of the Bali Action Plan in Copenhagen, Denmark, said Communication, Information and Education Coordinator of National Council on Climate Change Amanda Katili Niode. “It is important for Indonesia to see to it that countries meeting in Copenhagen reach an agreement to implement the Bali Action Plan,” said Niode. The Bali Action Plan emphasizes mitigation, adaptation, technology and financing. Presidential spokesperson Dino Patti Djalal said reaching an agreement in Copenhagen will not be easy. “There are many challenges as we saw in Bali. Copenhagen will be very tough and there will be a lot of drama,” he said. Indonesia’s head of delegation Rachmat Witoelar said in a press release that Indonesia will proactively lower emission by 26%

by 2020. The move is intended to push industrialized nations to make commitments and push other developing countries to voluntarily lower their emissions.

change,” he told reporters. Sweden announced Thursday that it would donate 800 million euros to the “fast-start” financing fund.

Ambassador Hatfull said the Copenhagen agreement is very crucial to prevent various disasters. “We cannot compromise with earth but we can compromise with ourselves in dealing with this matter,” he said. Danish ambassador to Indonesia Borge Petersen said the Copenhagen summit should agree on issues that can be agreed upon, and not on what cannot be agreed. Norway ambassador to Indonesia Eivind Homme said Norway aims to become a carbonneutral economy by 2030 by implementing simple programs such as power efficiency, gas use for transportation, encouraging the use of public transportation or bicycles and promoting environmentally-friendly lifestyle.

Negotiators at the climate change conference are also making good progress in the area of technology. Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate

Meanwhile in Copenhagen, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the outcome of the climate change conference will have reverberations on the future of humanity and the planet. Over 100 heads of states and government, including Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, US President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, and more than 15,000 participants are set to take part in the event in the Danish capital, where nations are expected to wrap up agreements on an ambitious new climate change deal.

THE ECONOMY

EDUCATION

TOURISM

Prof. Dr. Ken Kawan Soetanto

Indonesia & Brazil: Emerging Countries to Watch

Dr. Anies Baswedan: The Rising Star

Fascinating Buleleng

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The World Bank rated them as among the 20 largest economies in the world; Brazil is 10th while Indonesia is 16th.

The current rector of University of Paramadina is Indonesia’s first and only representative in the list of Top 100 Global Intellectuals.

Change, told reporters that he sees an “emerging” agreement, with countries wanting to see a new technical mechanism, including an executive body overseeing technological development and transfer, result from the conference. Further, he noted there is a growing consensus to set up a consultative network for climate technologies which would sup-

port developing nations’ efforts to take action on both adaptation and mitigation. He also stressed that the Kyoto Protocol, whose first commitment period expires in 2012, must remain in force. Many developing nations have pointed out that the Protocol is the only legally binding instrument currently in force on climate change, he said.

China Supplies Over 50% of Funds to Build Power Plants JAKARTA (PP) – Funds required to build power plants able to generate 10.000 megawatts have been secured, said the deputy director of the state-run electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), Rudiantara. The value of the funds is US5.56 billion and Rp 23.2 trillion, or in total Rp 78-79 trillion. ”More than half of the financial requirement came from China. Of the required Rp 78 trillion, China has committed to provide US$4 billion (about Rp 40 trillion),” said Rudiantara. ”Funds have secured to underwrite power plants that can supply 10.000 MWs, mission accomplished,” said Rudiantara this week after signing six bank credit MoUs this week in Jakarta. Also present at the occasion were Finance Minister Sri Muly-

ani Indrawati, PLN CEO Fahmi Muchtar, Bank Mandiri CEO Agus Martowardojo, BNI’46 CEO Gatot M Suwondo, BCA CEO DE Sutijoso, BRI CEO Sofjan Basyir, and the Ambassador of China to Indonesia Zhang Qiyue.

The bank credits were provided by Bank Mandiri, BCA, BNI and BRI. Rudiantara went on to say that up to November 2009, China has already disbursed US$1 billion or about Rp 10 trillion, “with the rest subject to developments in the project.” The six MoUs covered funds from national banks and desig-

Ban expressed optimism that an immediately effective “robust” agreement, which includes specific recommendations on mitigation, adaptation, finance and technology, will be reached. “Copenhagen can and must be a turning point in the world’s efforts to prevent runaway climate

INTERVIEW

Surabaya-born Prof. Dr. Ken Kawan Soetanto, Director of Clinical Education and Science, Research Institute CLEDSI, was interviewed by The President Post CEO/Chief Editor Ali Basyah Suryo (ABS). Soetanto holds four doctoral degrees which he obtained in Japan.

Photo: www.presidenri.go.id

Buleleng Regency, which in fact is a former kingdom, has nine sub-regencies, namely Tejakula, Kubutambahan, Sawan, Buleleng, Sukasada, Banjar, Busungbiu, Seririt and Gerokgak, all of which are distinctive and worthy of at least a short visit. Sri Mulyani Indrawati: the government is also looking at building transmission lines.

nated for power plants in East Java, Riau Islands and West Kalimantan. The bank credits were provided by Bank Mandiri, BCA, BNI and BRI. Indonesia suffers from power shortage but independent power providers (IPPs) such as Cikarang Listrindo, Argopantes and Bekasi Power Jababeka (25MW) help to alleviate the problem. Sri Mulyani Indrawati said that the government is not only looking at building power plants but also its infrastructure such as transmission lines. As BNI CEO Gatot Suwondo sees it, power plants are low-risk business projects with good prospects. ”The banking industry supports the government’s efforts to develop energy sources,” said Gatot.


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