In our lives, everything is related, such as corona and other diseases originating from animals or called zoonotic, triggered by, among others, climate change, which in fact still lacks the attention of many parties. The pandemic warns us to seriously take care of climate change, said Mahawan Karuniasa, Director of the Environment Institute, as well as Chair of APIK Indonesia Network. This was conveyed in the opening of the Indonesia Environment Talks 2020 which was held online by APIK Indonesia Network in collaboration with the Environment Institute on Monday, April 13, 2020.
The topic is Indonesia’s Updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) based on the Paris Agreement. Indonesia has conveyed its commitment to global climate action through the first document of its Climate Change Control Plan. The document is called Indonesia First NDC, which contains mitigation and adaptation plans for 2030. The target for mitigating or reducing greenhouse gas emissions is 29% with own capabilities and up to 41% with international partnerships.
The global target is to keep the Earth’s average surface temperature from increasing by more than 20 Celsius. However, it turns out that the Paris Agreement has not guaranteed the achievement of this target. In 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC), which involved thousands of experts from around the World, stated that it was no longer less than 20 Celsius, but 1.50 Celsius. This basis is what drives the need to deal with climate change. Every country is required to be more ambitious to reduce its emissions.
Nur Masripatin, Senior Advisor to the Minister of Environment and Forestry who was present as a speaker also said that the Updated NDC did not increase its emission reduction target, and instead encouraged improvement in the field of adaptation. This becomes the object of criticism from the parties, because it is considered not to increase ambition. In addition, criticism is also aimed at processes that are considered less inclusive. Mahawan stated that the activities of the Environment Institute with APIK Indonesia Network are intended to increase the inclusiveness of the process and the dissemination of content from the Updated NDC document to stakeholders.
