Energy Issues Become the Focus of COP28 Climate Change Negotiations

One of the issues that will be presented by Indonesia at COP28 on Climate Change in Dubai is the energy transition, especially new and renewable energy. Indonesia also hopes that there will be an agreement regarding carbon trading.

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI.

AFP/JOSEPH EID

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri led the closing session of the 27th Climate Change Conference or COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on Sunday (20/11/2022).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - Indonesia is currently finalizing a number of materials that will be brought to the 28th Conference of Parties on Climate Change or COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in November. One of the focus issues that will be presented in negotiations or in the pavilion is related to energy transition, especially new renewable energy. On the other hand, the COP28 negotiations are also expected to agree on the issue of carbon trading.

Director General of Sustainable Forest Management of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), Agus Justianto, as the responsible person for the Indonesian Pavilion at COP28 Dubai, has stated that the negotiation process at COP28 is expected to focus on the issue of energy. This is because the Presidency of COP28 Dubai has made renewable energy a primary issue in the negotiation process.

"The energy issue is the main theme, and it is expected that we can provide information related to Indonesia's concrete actions in the energy sector," he said to the media during the socialization event of the Indonesian Pavilion COP28 in Jakarta, on Tuesday (18/7/2023)."

As a preparation effort for the upcoming COP28, Indonesia has already raised the issue or theme of renewable energy in various events this year. From 1-3 September 2023, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry will also hold a festival at Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta, featuring various brought issues, namely the environment, climate, forestry, and renewable energy.

The issue of energy has become the main theme, so it is hoped that we can provide information related to Indonesia's real actions in the energy sector.

According to Agus, in the upcoming COP28, Indonesia will send around 600 delegates. Each delegate who will serve in the negotiation session is expected to reach an agreement on the acceleration of new renewable energy transition to replace dirty energy sourced from coal-fired power plants.

KOMPAS/NIKSON SINAGA

Director General of Sustainable Forest Management of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) Agus Justianto as the Responsible Person of the Indonesian Pavilion at COP28 Dubai.

In addition, it is hoped that the negotiation process later can also produce an agreement regarding carbon trading. In several previous COP negotiations, the issue of carbon trading has still been discussed and has not yet reached an agreement.

"Through COP28, we hope that the issue of carbon trading can be regulated outside of the country. As Indonesia is also preparing a Ministerial Regulation on foreign carbon trading in the environment and forestry sector," he said.

In the later COP28, Indonesia will also continue to prepare pavilions as soft diplomacy or diplomacy with a socio-cultural approach. This is also an effort to convey to the world the concrete steps and concrete actions that have been taken by Indonesia in reducing emissions and tackling climate change.

Read also: COP27 Draft Agreement Considered Disappointing

Various parties will be involved in the Indonesian pavilion, including local or indigenous communities. In recent COPs, Indonesia has also held special sessions for indigenous communities who have taken real action in the environmental sector. Until now, the Indonesian COP28 team is still discussing the participants who will fill the material in the pavilion.

”The Indonesian Pavilion does not only involve the government or the private sector, but also all stakeholders. In the Indonesian pavilion, we invite the active role of all parties to convey real work results related to climate change control," said Agus.

pavilion theme

Coordinator of the Material Team for the Talkshow Session of Indonesian Pavilion at COP28 UNFCCC, who is also the Director of Forest Product Processing and Marketing Development at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Krisdianto, stated that Indonesia has taken the theme of climate action that has been carried out to inspire the world. The discussion sessions at the Indonesian pavilion on specific themes will involve not only speakers from within the country, but also from other countries.

NINA SUSILO

Seminars related to Indonesia's achievement of zero emissions target were held at the Indonesia Pavilion in COP 27, Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt on Tuesday (8/11/2022).

There are four sub-themes in the Indonesian pavilion, namely commitment to renewable energy, climate action in land-based sectors, technological innovation and funding, as well as collaborative climate action. Each of the four themes has an average of 10 discussions.

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"We have also contacted the National Agency of Research and Innovation (BRIN) to be able to showcase the works of the nation's children related to climate change. In the future, there may be a touch screen display that shows journals made by Indonesian researchers," they said.

In addition, it is expected that local governments can convey various adaptation and mitigation efforts that have been carried out down to the ground level. These various efforts will then be elaborated according to the designated sub-themes.