World Leaders Pledge Stronger Climate Protection

AFP/LUDOVIC MARIN

United States President Donald Trump (center), flanked by US Vice President Mike Pence, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (center-background) and US ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft (right), checks his watch while he attends the United Nations Climate Action Summit on Sept. 23, 2019 at the UN Headquarters in New York City.

NEW YORK, KOMPAS — Amid the sunny weather in New York in the past three days, “dark clouds” of climate change hung low over the United Nations (UN) headquarters. Aware of the effects of climate change in various parts of the world, governments and the private sector are working together to address the pressing challenges.

In the Climate Change Summit 2019, held one day before the opening of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Monday (23/9/2019), world leaders and representatives of the private sector firmly pledged to support the global effort to curb temperature rises to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius.

In a press statement, the UN said the world needed to increase efforts to fight global temperature increases. If temperatures rise more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, severe destruction will happen that will be irreversible.

This means the UN wants all stakeholders to join in taking action, instead of merely making statements. “There is no negotiating with nature.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the world not to be pessimistic. He reaffirmed that this year\'s UN Climate Change Summit was in essence a summit on “climate action”. This means the UN wants all stakeholders to join in taking action, instead of merely making statements. “There is no negotiating with nature,” Guterres said.

He said the presence of world leaders at the summit showed their serious commitment to taking action. Guterres pushed for the implementation of the Paris Agreement, including ensuring investment in a greener future. Investors have been encouraged to increase their action using the resources they have.

At the Climate Change Summit, 77 countries pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050, while 70 countries announced either their national action for 2020 or their ongoing action. Furthermore, over 100 business leaders pledged to harmonize their companies with the targets of the Paris Agreement, namely to speed up their transition from a gray economy to a green economy, and more than 100 cities – including many major ones in Indonesia – announced new concrete plans to fight the climate crisis.

AFP/KENA BETANCUR

Activist Greta Thunberg attends a press conference where 16 children from around the world presented their official human rights complaint on the climate crisis to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child at the Unicef Building on Sept. 23, 2019 in New York City.

Indonesia’s support

At the conference, Vice President Jusuf Kalla reaffirmed that Indonesia agreed with the action. “We are listening to Greta Thunberg,” Kalla said, referring to the outspoken teenage climate change activist.

Kalla said Indonesia was among the countries suffering from the most severe effects of climate change. “Extreme weather due to climate change has made prone countries even more vulnerable. Indonesia is one example. Forest and peatland fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan are exacerbated by the effects of climate change. Indonesia has taken serious steps to resolve these huge challenges,” he said.

According to Kalla, Indonesia has taken steps to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Indonesia has set a target to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 29 percent to 41 percent – with international support – by 2030.

In front of Climate Change Summit participants, Kalla said Indonesia was set to rehabilitate 12 million hectares of critical land by 2030. Indonesia will establish a special environment fund to help with climate funding and other environmental programs.

“The success in implementing the Paris Agreement does not depend on individuals but on collective efforts. Indonesia cannot do this alone. Climate action requires collective action,” Kalla said.

Apart from attending the Climate Change Summit, Kalla was also present in a separate session on the strengthening of collective efforts to fight digital radicalism. In his speech, Kalla conveyed three concrete efforts, namely ensuring legal infrastructure to prevent the use of the internet to spread radical content, involving digital platforms and empowering netizens to fight radicalism and terrorism on social media.

AFP/JOHANNES EISELE

The general-secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, Sharan Burrow, speaks during the United Nations Climate Action Summit on Sept. 23, 2019 at the UN Headquarters in New York City.

Separately, Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi on Monday held a bilateral meeting with UN Special Envoy for Myanmar, Christine Burgener, and US Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad. Retno told Burgener that Indonesia would continue to support the dignified repatriation of the Rohingya people.