The world is currently experiencing the impacts of climate change due to global warming. One indicator of climate change is the shifting seasons, which are increasingly difficult to predict. To address the severe impacts of climate change, countries have created the Paris Agreement, which outlines commitments and efforts by nations worldwide to reduce emissions. The goal of these efforts is to achieve Net Zero (or zero emissions) by 2060, where the amount of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere does not exceed the amount absorbed by the Earth. Dr. Istiana Maftuchah, Deputy Director of Capital Market Supervision, Derivatives, and Carbon Exchange at the Indonesian Financial Services Authority (OJK), highlighted these key points during the “Indonesian Village Towards Net Zero Emission: The Role and Opportunities for Industry” Meet and Talk event held at Social Garden Cafe in Malang on May 17, 2024.
Furthermore, it was emphasized that the Indonesian government is ambitious in achieving Net Zero, leading to the development of regulations accommodating various Net Zero efforts in Indonesia. Several mechanisms facilitated by Indonesian government regulations include climate change adaptation and mitigation mechanisms, as well as carbon trade mechanisms. The adaptation and mitigation mechanisms are reinforced by Presidential Regulation 98/2021 on the Implementation of Carbon Economic Value for Achieving Nationally Determined Contributions and Greenhouse Gas Emission Control in National Development.
Among the five priority sectors for climate change mitigation and adaptation programs, two main sectors contribute the most or have the largest targets: the forestry and other land use (FOLU) sector and the energy sector. “Indonesia, with two-thirds of its area being ocean, has significant potential for carbon sequestration through blue carbon ecosystems. Currently, various studies explore the role of seaweed not only as a marine aquaculture product but also as a carbon sink,” explained Prof. Maftuch, Dean of the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences at Universitas Brawijaya, who was also one of the speakers at the event.
The significant potential across Indonesia’s three water categories (land, brackish, and marine) still needs further research and development, involving interdisciplinary collaboration to accelerate Net Zero targets in Indonesia. This idea was supported by participants from various backgrounds, including entrepreneurs, media professionals, academics, and environmental activists in Malang. The event was a collaboration between Pro Lansekap Indonesia and various institutions, including environmental and sustainability advocates in Malang. [DKS]
