Local Wisdom Vs Global Warming

Posted on 08. Apr, 2011 by Goris Mustaqim in Indonesia | View Comments

Here we are, waiting again under uncertainties over direction of Climate Talks. We were sitting again on endless hope there would something called ‘deal’ of the conference. An intense lobby, discussion held as the conference getting close to the end on Friday, 8 April. We didn’t have an access to the negotiations of two Ad-Hoc Groups, which working on Long term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA) and Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP). We’ve heard some speculations among the observers about what possibly happen on Friday.

Here, at the middle of crowd, I’m start wondering where we’re at. What took us gathered here so far? What we had achieved at Kyoto, Bali, Cancun, and what would be happened at Durban, also next year as critical year on Climate Agreement. I am wondering we don’t have to be here if we live a life wisely as our ancestor teaches us live in harmony in same earth. We don’t have to live like an ancient; we should look back to our local wisdom, and learn how to implement it proportionally.

In my country, Indonesia, there are more than 100 tribes with their own language and culture. I could say that every ethnic group has their own local wisdom. For example, sundanese (people live in West Java provinces) know idiom “Leuweung ruksak, cai beak, hirup balangsak” which means, ”No Forest, No Water, No Future”. Furthermore, our ancestor already have conception about forest utilization, which part are forbidden, which part for conservation, and which part can be used for commercial purpose. Another prove about their concern to the environment is so many location in West Java Province which started by word ‘Ci’, which means ‘Water’ in Sundanese. Those philosophy is still relevant with current situation, even just like principle of sustainable development.

In Bali, there is also principle of balance with the earth, they have annual silent day called ‘Nyepi’, where they reflect their relationship with the universe. That also exists in indigenous people of Borneo Island, etc. I believe that every nation has its own local wisdom or values which guide them to survive, so we have to look over it, and keep them alive.

Regarding local wisdom, we were quite satisfied that Last COP in Cancun adopted Article 6 which call all governments to educate, empower and engage all stakeholders and major groups on policies relating to climate change. During Bangkok, I talked to delegation that governments are ready working in partnership with civil society to fulfill the commitments. They also address the issue of climate change related education, training and public awareness in national action plan which would launch on the end of April. It would be best chance for civil society especially youth to pave the way to more “climate friendly” generation in the future.

Indonesia rejects debts as part of Climate Agreement

Posted on 07. Apr, 2011 by Goris Mustaqim in Indonesia | View Comments

The Indonesian delegation at the Bangkok Climate Talks echoed the civil society sentiment for discouraging loan based funding for projects related reducing the carbon emission. Mismanagement on so called debt had given birth to widespread curruption and an economics crisis in the second largest tropical country - Indonesia in 1997. The delegation said that investment mechanism is favourable to fit with their sustainable development plan, which would reduce their emissions by up to 41 percent if assisted by developed country support by 2020.

Since climate activists challenge market based climate funding due to past experiences of the Clean Development Mechanism projects, hence the government should ensure that new mechanism would guarantee to protect and promote the local community, as they are the most vulnerable to climate change. They will also gain large benefits from the program; especially REDD (forestry related projects) implementation. REDD is an aid programs intended to curb the deforestation and forest degradation through carbon offsetting. The developed country also knows as Annex 1 should pay to developing country that has capacity to reserve their forest, as much as their carbon reduction target.

Last year, Indonesia agreed to sign on to a two year agreement on REDD with the Norwegian government. This is challenging to implement on the ground considering there is a conflict with the local stakeholders like government and the industries who are directed affected by the establishment of the project. I believe that as long as appropriate policies, capacity building initiatives and institutional and legal framework has been established, its all right if their is a slight delay in the actual implementation of REDD initiatives. The delegates also said that they would launch a National Action Plan in the end of April.

Indonesia hopes that they would get significant reduction on their emission through forestry and peat land control. They will also allocate more money through their Sustainable Development Program, especially for the Renewable Energy Program. In an attempt to balance climate initiatives with that of core government focus areas like employment and poverty alleviation efforts it would be cautious with its usage of polluting sources of energy since the country is quite dependent to palm oil, forestry based product, and mining.

As climate talks resume, we hope that the outcome would be fair and reflect ambitious commitments for a better and safer climate to live in.

Menanti Kepemimpinan Indonesia dalam Isu Perubahan Iklim di ASEAN

Posted on 05. Apr, 2011 by Goris Mustaqim in Indonesia | View Comments

Keprihatinan mendalam disampaikan saat Pembukaan workshop dalam konferensi sela perubahan iklim di Bangkok terhadap bencana banjir di Thailand. Di Indonesia hampir tiap bulan mendengar berita banjir yang diakibatkan curah hujan tinggi, perubahan fungsi lahan, atau naiknya permukaan ar laut di kota pantai. Begitu pula topan siklon yang berulangkali menerpa kawasan Filipina, atau yang terbaru banjir di Singapura beberapa waktu lalu yang baru kali ini terjadi. Hal ini menegaskan bahwa regional ASEAN sangat rentan terhadap dampak dari perubahan iklim. Berdasar laporan AFAB, telah terjadi peningkatan temperatur rata-rata sebesar 0.1-0.3 derajat C setiap dekade yang diukur dari 1950-2000, begitu pula permukaan air laut yang terekam sebesar 1-3 mm setiap tahun.

Isu perubahan iklim ini bukanlah isu elit, karena masyarakat langsung mengalami dampaknya. Seperti kita ketahui sebagian besar dari 563 juta orang di negara-negara ASEAN terkonsentrasi di kawasan pantai sepanjang 173,251 juta km, yang akan berhadapan langsung dengan naiknya permukaan laut, -diprediksi sekitar 70 cm sampai tahun 2100 berdasar laporan ADB-. Mata pencaharian sebagian besar populasi yang bergantung terhadap pertanian akan sangat terpengaruh dengan kenaikan temperatur sekitar 4-8 derajat celsius pada periode sama. Produksi beras di Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam akan menurun hingga 50% samp (more…)