Indonesian government to emphasize adaptation in dealing with climate change

Antara 5 Jan 11;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Environment Ministry will emphasize adaptation in reducing the impacts of climate change as this measure had often been overlooked while the impacts were already a reality, its chief said.

"We have often been prioritizing mitigation while overlooking adaptation although the impacts of climate change are already happening," Environment Minister Gusti Muhammad Hatta said in an expose of his ministry`s work plan for 2011 at the office of the Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfare in Jakarta on Tuesday.

In general the work plan for 2011, he added, related to the major program of reducing green house effects by up to 26 percent until 2020, and the implementation of adaptation activities.

Another big plan for the ministry to carry out in 2011 was to focus on the control of pollution by reducing the polluting burdens caused by 750 companies through stiffening supervision of the enforcement of environmental laws.

"We will also revitalize the evaluation system for the presentation of the Adipura awards to the 404 districts and cities," the minister said.

On the control of environmental destruction, Hatta said that the activities to be implemented are those relating to the reduction of hot spots in eight provinces through preventive measures to avoid forest fires. The ministry would also effect the closure of more forested lands in 399 districts.

The program for recovery of the environmental functions for supporting green economic growth to be carried out in 2011 would be focused on recovering degraded lands in 24 locations and the improvement of regional master plans in 100 districts s and cities in 33 provinces.

In the legal sector, Hatta said, he would focus on the finalization of 13 draft implementing regulations for Law Number 32 Year 2009 on the protection and management of the environment as well as the finalization of the similar regulations for Law Number 18 Year 2008 on waste management.

"This matter is important in our efforts to provide legal certainty in the enforcement of those two laws on managing the environment," he said.(*)