Belantara Foundation Present at the Indonesian Pavilion at UNFCCC COP 24
The 24th Conference of Parties (COP 24) of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC), also known as the Katowice Climate Change Conference, was successfully held on December 2-15 2018 in Katowice, Poland. The COP is the highest conference on global climate change, its status, and on how to control it. COP 24 especially discusses on achieving climate control targets to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change adaptation programs mentioned in the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) document, which is the core of the Paris Agreement (COP21, 2015).
Along the COP 24, Indonesia also held an "Indonesian Pavilion" to convey Indonesia's latest development on climate change mitigation and adaptation, Indonesia's innovation and action in controlling climate change, its implementation of soft-diplomacies, and building a network of parties to control climate change globally.
In line with the COP 24’s theme, "Changing Together", the Indonesian Pavilion was themed "Climate Change, Society Change: Let 's Work-Up and Team-Up," to inspire all parties to decide together to make changes. The Indonesian Pavilion featured 52-panel discussion sessions with 225 speakers and was attended by nearly 3000 discussion participants during two weeks, from December 3-14, 2018.
As in previous years, Belantara Foundation was present at the Indonesian Pavilion and represented by the Foundation's Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Prof. Jatna Supriatna and the Foundation's Executive Director, Dr. Sri Mariati, taking part in the following four discussion panels:
Financing Climate Actions Through Partnerships
In this session, the Belantara Foundation became one of the panelists with clear evidence of financing climate change actions with partners in the field. Dr. Sri Mariati, the Executive Director, explained the various activities carried out with partners as well as the achievements to date. This session was also presented with Mr. Prabianto Mukti Wibowo (Indonesian Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs), Mr. Medrilzam (National Development Planning Agency, Indonesia Climate Change Trust Fund), Riki Frindos (KEHATI Foundation), Danae Maniatis (United Nations Development Programme), and Prof. Jatna Supriatna (I-SER UI, Belantara Foundation) as the moderator.
Forestry Private Sector Contribution to Climate Change Mitigation
The role of the private sector must be involved in efforts to preserve nature. During this session, the Belantara Foundation represented by Dr. Sri Mariati, the Executive Director explained about the collaboration with APP Sinarmas in developing ecotourism in Sembilang, South Sumatra. This project shows that conservation efforts can be carried out in partnership with the private sector. This session was also joined by is Mr. Wiratno (Natural Resource Conservation Agency), Dr. Amanda Katili Niode (Climate Reality Project), and Mrs. Elim Sritaba (APP Sinarmas), and Prof. Jatna Supriatna (I-SER UI, Belantara Foundation) as the moderator.
Connecting People to Climate Actions
Because of its complexity, cooperation is an essential aspect of carrying out activities in solving and mitigating climate change. In this session, Belantara Foundation demonstrated how it cooperates with multi-parties to in developing ecotourism in Sembilang. One of the partners is the Trisakti School of Tourism. Partnering with this educational institution, the Belantara Foundation prepares the Sungsang village in Sembilang for local product development to attract tourists. This session was joined by Prof. Dwikorita Karnawati (Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency), Mrs. Fetty Asmaniati (Trisakti School of Tourism), Dr. Djanadi Bimo Prakoso (Trisakti Foundation), and Ms. Herlina Hartanto (The Nature Conservancy), and Prof. Jatna Supriatna (I-SER UI, Belantara Foundation) as moderator.
Transforming Land and Food Systems for a Low Carbon Development in Indonesia
When discussing climate change actions, efforts in mitigation will come up, one of which is the development of low emission alternative technologies. In this session, Belantara Foundation demonstrated activities with its partners in South Sumatra in implementing ways to reduce chemical fertilizers for agriculture, biogas production, bio-slurry construction, and developing integrated farming systems. Prof. Rachmat Witoelar (Presidential Special Staff for Climate Change), Dr. Nur Masripatin (UNFCCC focal point), Prof. Jatna Supriatna (I-SER UI, Belantara Foundation) and Dr. Tri Handoko Seto (Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology) also joined this session.
Belantara Foundation's participation in the Indonesian Pavilion at COP 24 certainly provides many benefits. Among other things, it promotes Belantara Foundation and what it does to a broad audience and also adds relationships for collaboration and more partners in preserving Indonesia's nature.
