Indonesia loses forests as politicians bicker

Moratorium on cutting down trees delayed by political tug of war
Zubaidah Nazeer, Straits Times 19 Apr 11;

JAKARTA: Indonesia is losing forest area about four times the size of Jakarta as politicians continue to bicker over a moratorium on cutting down trees.

Much of the delay, now into its fourth month, is also being pinned on bureaucratic inefficiencies, with two drafts of the moratorium being shoved around by different ministries.

The moratorium was part of a deal with Norway which pledged US$1 billion (S$1.2 billion) last year to help Indonesia reduce carbon emissions. In return for the funds, Jakarta agreed to stop issuing new concessions to forest areas for two years and cut carbon emissions by 26 per cent by 2020, or by 41 per cent with international support.

Indonesia is one of the world's largest emitters of greenhouse gases because of the widespread destruction of its forests.

In order to effect the moratorium, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has to sign a decree to back it up. He set up a nine-member task force comprising activists and politicians across various ministries to draft it.

But their efforts have become bogged down. Said Dr Dicky Simorangkir of The Nature Conservancy, who was consulted on the draft prepared by the task force: 'There is a lack of mechanism for clear communication and coordination among the ministries.'

To complicate matters, the task force members also sought input from civil society groups, researchers, scientists and private sector players such as investors. 'It is a case of having too many cooks spoiling the broth.'

Adding to the cacophony of different views is a political tug of war.

Added Dr Dicky: 'Now, we also have a political fight between the task force members and the other ministers. The question is - who do you accommodate?'

Much of the friction has been between the chief of the presidential task force, former minister Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, and a camp consisting of the Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hassan, Coordinating Minister for Economy Hatta Rajasa and Environment Minister Gusti Muhammad.

Mr Zulkifli was dissatisfied with the initial draft by Mr Kuntoro and came up with another one, after consulting Mr Hatta and Mr Gusti.

The parties remain deadlocked over several points in the moratorium, such as the definition of what constitutes forest area and peatlands, and whether the new task force would be given authority over forest management.

Vice-President Boediono has stepped in to mediate between the two camps but some analysts said this might not be enough to resolve matters.

Said Dr Herry Purnomo, a scientist with the Centre for International Forestry Research: 'The President should be the one taking the lead, but he has been too careful, resulting in this stalemate.'

Some environmentalists however dismissed the current debate as meaningless as the moratorium may have little impact.

A Greenpeace report claimed both drafts still leave unprotected 45 million hectares of natural forest and peatland, an area almost twice the size of Britain.

Mr Yuyun Indradi, a campaigner for Greenpeace, said: 'Based on the two drafts, most of the areas where they plan to ban concessions are already designated as protected forests or conservation areas.'

Still, Mr Kuntoro expects the moratorium to be ready by next month.

He has been quoted as saying that major corporate players have thrown their support behind it.