Preserving Indonesia's mangroves to nurture blue carbon potential by Fardah

 Jakarta , Oct 27, 2021 (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government has set an ambitious target of restoring 600 thousand hectares of mangrove forests across the country by 2024.

The world’s largest archipelagic country sees the preservation of mangrove forests as crucial because of their role in providing habitats for aquatic and terrestrial fauna and flora, protection from strong winds and waves, soil stabilization and erosion prevention, nutrient retention and water quality improvement through filtration of sediments and pollutants, flood mitigation, sequestration of carbon dioxide, and protection of associated marine ecosystems.

As high carbon storage ecosystems, mangrove and peatland ecosystems play a strategic role as nature-based solutions for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Peatlands and mangroves store up to 2 to 10 times more carbon than forests.

Given the significant role of mangrove and peatland ecosystems, the government has recently converted the Peatland Restoration Agency (BRG) into Peatland and Mangrove Restoration Agency (BRGM).

Mangroves, however, have been disappearing more quickly than inland tropical rainforests, particularly due to clear-cutting for shrimp farms.

The loss of mangroves has led to a decline in fisheries, degradation of clean water supply, salinization of coastal soils, erosion and land subsidence, as well as an increase in gas emissions, among other things.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), while visiting Tana Tidung district, North Kalimantan province, on October 19, 2021 had revealed that the country’s existing mangrove forests covered a total area of 3.6 million hectares.

Rehabilitation efforts are being undertaken to protect coastal areas from sea waves, seawater intrusion, and preserve the habitat of species, including birds, fishes, crabs, monkeys, and other flora and fauna, living in and around the mangrove forests, according to him.

Accompanied by several foreign ambassadors, Widodo planted mangrove trees in North Kalimantan as part of the mangrove restoration program.

The program’s funds were derived from various sources, including state and regional budgets, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs of private and state-owned companies, and the community in general, he noted.

POST-COVID-19 RECOVERY MUST PAVE WAY TO SUSTAINABLE WORLD by Fardah

Jakarta, 9/6/2020 (Antara) - The lingering COVID-19 pandemic has caused serious damage, socially and economically, around the world.

As of June 9, 2020, the novel coronavirus disease has claimed 409,104 lives, with over 7 million people contracting the infection in 213 countries and territories.

Economically, the outbreak has triggered economic collapse, leading to closure of businesses, job losses, and poverty, particularly in developing countries.

The COVID-19 pandemic has served as an unprecedented global shock that has magnified the impact of inequality, hitting the poor the hardest, according to the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).

On the other hand, with people forced to lock themselves at home to break the chain of the virus spread, people in big cities particularly have been able to enjoy fresh air as pollution has reduced significantly. The sky in Jakarta is blue and the river is cleaner as there is much less human activity.

The healing seen in nature, however, would be temporary, if people do not change the way they conduct businesses once the COVID-19 pandemic ends.

As governments around the world are racing to implement economic stimulus and support packages to keep individuals, businesses, and economies afloat, IISD has reminded that these measures must pave the way to a more sustainable economy and development.

Increasing awareness of environmental preservation among millennials by Fardah

Jakarta, Nov 5, 2019 - With Indonesia observing National Flora and Fauna Day on November 5, 2019, the millennial generation has become the focus of a public awareness campaign on preservation of biological diversity, or biodiversity.

Home to some 17 thousand islands and a population of some 260 million, Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world, situated between the Pacific and Indian oceans and bridging the two continents of Asia and Australia.

As the world's largest archipelagic nation, Indonesia has copious species of plants and animals coupled with a unique ecosystem.

As a matter of fact, scientists have acknowledged Indonesia as one of the world’s mega centers of biodiversity for its abundant flora and fauna species and a wide range of natural habitats.

Indonesia is home to some 17 percent of all species in the world, though it accounts for only 1.3 percent of the Earth’s land surface.

The Muslim-majority nation has over 25 thousand species of flowering plants, comprising 10 percent of the world's flowering plant species.

The country also has some 500 mammalian species, 600 reptilian species, some 1,500 avian species, some 270 species of amphibians, and over 2,500 species of fish, or constituting 45 percent of the world's fish species.

It is also home to 121 species of butterflies, or 44 percent of the endemics; 480 species of hard corals, or 60 percent of the world’s coral species; and 240 rare species, or one percent of the world’s species.

KALIMANTAN FOREST TO REMAIN INTACT DESPITE CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT by Fardah

Selasa, 27 Ags 2019 20:07

Daerah : Jakarta

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Joko Widodo (Jokowi) administration has assured that the development of the capital city will not damage the environment and vowed that East Kalimantan forests will remain intact.

This comes after the government announced that parts of North Penajam Paser and Kutai Kertanegara Districts in East Kalimantan Province would be the location for the country’s new capital expected to be inaugurated in 2024, the year when Jokowi’s second term will end.

President Jokowi told the media August 26, 2019 that the two districts were selected, as they faced the least risks from natural disasters, including floods, earthquake, tsunamis, forest fires, and landslides.

Moreover, they are strategically located in the heart of Indonesia and near Balikpapan and Samarinda that are developed cities. Hence, basic infrastructure and facilities already exist. Besides, the government owns 180 thousand hectares of land there.

The decision to move from Jakarta was based on a three-year study conducted by the government.

"The results of the studies concluded that the ideal location for a new capital city will be part of North Penajam Paser District and part of Kutai Kartanegara District in East Kalimantan," President Jokowi, who has been re-elected for the 2019-2024 term, noted.

The work is expected to start in 2021 and cost up to Rp466 trillion (US$32.3 billion) to be covered by the State Budget (Rp74.44 trillion), Public-Private Partnership scheme (Rp265.2 trillion), and private investment (Rp127.3 trillion).

Relocating the capital city in Kalimantan has triggered debates on both sides. The island, also known as Borneo, is considered “the lung of the world” as it is home to vast forests that help absorb CO2.

RELOCATING INDONESIA'S CAPITAL TO KALIMANTAN, "THE WORLD'S LUNG" by Fardah

Jumat, 23 Ags 2019 22:24

Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) on August 16, 2019, officially announced his plan to move Indonesia’s capital city to Kalimantan Island and asked for the Parliament’s permission for that purpose.
On August 22, Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Sofyan Djalil spoke of East Kalimantan as the most likely location for the new capital city. However, Jokowi later denied the assertion and said that studies are still on to decide the location.
In May 2019, Jokowi visited Kalimantan to look for a location for his plan and one of the options was Bukit Soeharto (Soeharto Hill) Forest Park located in Samboja Sub-district, Kutai Kartanegara district, East Kalimantan Province. Between 200,000 and 300,000 hectares are needed to host the new capital city.
Pros and cons emerged in the public regarding Kalimantan also known as Borneo, as the host of the capital city to replace Jakarta. Several young people recently interviewed by TVOne expressed their objection. They specifically mentioned that Kalimantan has so far served as "the lungs of the world", and the massive development needed to build a new capital city would destroy a part of the island's forests.
Located near Balikpapan City, Bukit Soeharto Forest Park hosts the Wanariset Samboja Orangutan Rehabilitation and Reintroduction Center, as well as an education forest managed by the University of Mulawarman.
Balikpapan also has the Sungai (River) Wain Protected Forest (HLSW) which has extraordinary biodiversity including endangered fauna such as sambar deer, orangutans (Pongo pygmaues), sun bears (Helarctos malayanus), and nearly 200 species of birds.
Surrounding Balikpapan, there are also many primary forests, mangrove forests, seagrass beds, and coral reefs on its coastal area.

Easing congestion to reduce air pollution in Jakarta by Fardah

Jakarta, March 25, 2019 (ANTARA) - Jakartans have been very enthusiastic in welcoming the country’s first subway called Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Jakarta, which was inaugurated by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in the capital city on March 24, 2019.

The long-delayed MRT Jakarta is expected to ease the notorious traffic congestion in the capital city and suburban areas that has caused annual losses amounting to some Rp65 trillion to Rp100 trillion.

The first stage of the construction work of the MRT project, which was initially mooted in the 1980s, began on October 10, 2013, with a total investment worth Rp16 trillion. It serves a 15.7 km-long route connecting Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta and the Hotel Indonesia (HI) Circle in Central Jakarta in 30 minutes.

The second phase of the MRT construction, connecting the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle to Ancol in North Jakarta, is expected to begin early next year, parallel to the East-West MRT line, connecting Bekasi in West Java and Tangerang in Banten.

Bad traffic jams in the capital city are a major cause of air pollution. Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan had decided to apply the odd-even policy as a way to limit the number of cars entering Jakarta.

According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO) last year, Jakarta’s air pollution was worse than that of Bangkok, but better than Manila.

News Focus -- Protecting Orangutans in natural habitat deemed crucial by Fardah

Jakarta, March 25, 2019 (ANTARA) - It is incredibly heartbreaking to see a picture of a tourist in Bali attempting to smuggle a drugged orangutan kept in a rattan basket into Russia.
During X-ray screening, Bali's conservation agency staff spotted the two-year-old male ape in the 27-year-old Russian's suitcase on March 22, 2019. The Bali police arrested the tourist, who had planned to bring home the "sleeping" orangutan and keep him as a pet.
Orangutans (orang means human and utan means forest) are among the rarest animals, as only 100 thousand of the protected species remain worldwide.
Preserving wildlife in its natural forest habitat is a vital step in ensuring that conservation efforts were successful in the long term.
The Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF), in cooperation with the Central Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Office (BKSDA) and Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park (TNBBBR) authority on March 12, 2019, released six orangutans into the park, the first of 2019's planned releases.
The six orangutans comprise three males -- Rosidin (aged 20), Tristan (16), and Borneo (1) -- as well as three females -- Borneos mother Buntok (12), Paijah (15), and Danida (13).
All six of the orangutan release candidates have come from Badak Besar Island, a forested island in the Salat Island Cluster in Pulang Pisau District, which is currently being used by the BOSF as a pre-release island.
The orangutans were released after having completed years of rehabilitation. They had to endure an approximately 10- to 12-hour-long journey across both land and river to predetermined release points in the TNBBBR forest.
The six orangutans being returned back into the wild marks the 15th release for TNBBBR since the first one conducted in the park in August 2016 and the 28th release by the BOSF Orangutan Reintroduction Program in Central Kalimantan since 2012.

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE LACKED ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS by Fardah

Jakarta, Feb 19, 2019 (Antara) - The second round of presidential election debate, held on Feb 17, 2019, was considered more interesting, but environmental NGOs were disappointed because major environmental issues, such as climate change, were not touched upon by both presidential candidates.

        Incumbent Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and his challenger Prabowo Subianto discussed five themes, namely food, energy, infrastructure, natural resources, and the environment, chosen by the General Election Commission, during the debate, but they failed to see a common thread of the five themes, as they treated each theme separately.

        Besides, they were seen as lacking substantive plans offered in their debates. 
   During the debate, Subianto vowed to take stern measures against companies that caused environmental damages if he is elected president for the 2019-2024 term.

         "If I am given the mandate to lead the government of the Republic of Indonesia, I will certainly enforce the law. Stern law enforcement is a must against companies that do not implement the regulation," Subianto stated, emphasizing on firm legal enforcement to protect the environment.

         Subianto also promised to tighten the requirements for environmental impacts assessment and stated that there would be no short cuts to obtain project licenses.

            "This is, again, a matter of commitment. I will uphold a clean government that will not be collusive with environmental violators," he added.

            If he is elected president for the 2019-2024 period, he would reorganize the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and separate it into the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Forestry.

            Responding to Subianto's statement, Jokowi remarked that his administration has sanctioned 11 companies involved in forest and land fires in Indonesia. The total sanction amounted to Rp18.3 trillion.

          According to Jokowi, the government has been successful in overcoming forest and peatland fires in the past three years by strengthening the law enforcement.

        He also stated that the current administration had started to clean polluted rivers, including one in Citarum River of West Java.

         Jokowi also vowed to reduce fossil fuel consumption by encouraging the use of more biofuel and green fuel.

            The government has begun production of B20, a blend of 20 percent of biofuel with diesel, and it would proceed with the production of B100, which contains 100 percent of biofuel, he explained.

        Commenting on the substances of the debate, an NGO activist viewed that both candidates failed to make environmental issues a focus of their statements.

         "Both candidates still view the issues of food, energy, infrastructure, natural resources, and the environment as separate issues," Anggalia Putri, manager of knowledge management of the Madani Sustainable Foundation, revealed on Feb 18, 2019.

       They failed to see that the environment correlates with other issues and is even a major engine of the issues, she added.

           Jokowi emphasized on various policies, programs, and projects concerning the five themes of the debate. However, he did not elaborate much on the basic problems and the solutions, according to the NGO activist.

            "The discussions treat the five themes separately, as if they have no correlations with each other," she stated.

            Meanwhile, Subianto used populist words, such as independence, self-reliance, and national ownership versus foreign ownership.

            "But, he did not explain about the concepts on how to achieve food self-reliance and others," she added.

           The two candidates also did not mention about deforestation, forest degradation, and environmental rehabilitation during the debate, she stated.

         Another criticism came from the Indonesian Environmental Forum (Walhi), which expressed disappointment with the candidates for failing to mention the climate change impacts and forest issue.

          "It is a bit awful because climate change impacts and forest issues were not mentioned," Yuyun Harmono, campaign manager for climate justice of Walhi, revealed.

            The climate change is in fact an issue that covers every aspect, he noted. It is quite scary, from the climate change context, to learn about the optimism of both candidates over oil palm plantation, he revealed.

            Oil palm plantation and coal mining activities are both major contributors to emission, he remarked.

           If the two candidates still rely on oil palm and coal, it means they do not see the point of climate change, he added.

            They fail to link the economic policy and efforts to control the impacts of climate change, he revealed.

            "What worries me is that the Environmental Affairs and Forestry Minister has asked the Director General for Climate Change Control to review our Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), in order to speed up the target to press the Earth's temperature increase below 1.5 degree Celsius from 2020 to 2019," he explained.

            The ministry has prepared measures for cutting emissions by accelerating mitigation efforts, he explained.

             The ministry has realized that the major contributors to emission are plantation and energy-based factors, he elaborated.

            However, he regretted that the two candidates failed to consider the crucial issue.

           "No one related their economic policy to climate change issue. This is worrying," he stated.  
    The impacts of climate change are apparent in Indonesia, such as rising sea levels, change in precipitation patterns, decrease in agriculture and fishery production, and increase in drought, flooding, and some vector-borne diseases. 
   Meanwhile, Greenpeace Indonesia was concerned by both presidential candidates' emphasis on the use of crude palm oil for developing biofuels, because it potentially contributed to an increasing rate of deforestation. 
    Indonesia is one of the world's largest biodiversity nations and has the world's third largest forest areas. The country has several environmental problems, such as deforestation and marine pollution, due to plastic wastes. 
   The country's forest conversion into oil palm plantation has become a spotlight internationally because Indonesia's forest is considered as the `lung¿ of the Earth for its function to absorb gas emission that has induced climate change. 
   In September 2009, the then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono made a commitment to reduce gas emissions by 26 percent of business-as-usual levels by 2020. But with international support, Indonesia can reduce emissions by as much as 41 percent.

         Indonesia will hold the simultaneous legislative and presidential elections on April 17, 2019.

    (F001/INE)

HOPING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS OFFERED BY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES by Fardah

  Jakarta, Feb 16, 2019 (Antara) - Millions of Indonesian television audience hope that the upcoming second round of presidential election debate will be different from the previous one, which was considered unattractive due to cheat sheets given to presidential candidates several days prior to the debate.

          Incumbent Joko Widodo and rival Prabowo Subianto will meet in the second debate featuring five themes, namely energy, the environment, infrastructure, food, and natural resources.

          The second of the total five debates is scheduled to be held at Sultan Hotel, South Jakarta, on Feb 17, 2019, at 8 p.m. local. The General Election Commission (KPU) has vowed this time not to reveal the questions to the candidates in advance.      
    Unlike the first debate, Jokowi and his rival, Subianto, will face off in the second debate without the vice presidential candidates accompanying them.

         Indonesia will organize simultaneous legislative and presidential elections on April 17, 2019, across the country.

       Of its total population of 260 million people, over 185.6 million are registered as illegible voters in Indonesia.

        The 2019 presidential election is considered by many as a repeat of the bitter 2014 presidential race, wherein Jokowi and Subianto are again set to go head-to-head.

             Seeking a second term, 57-year-old Jokowi has picked Ma'ruf Amin (75), chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), as his partner, while retired general Subianto (67) has chosen Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno (49), a successful entrepreneur and former deputy governor of Jakarta, as his running mate.

PROTECTING LEUSER ECOSYSTEM FROM DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES by Fardah

Jakarta, Jan 12, 2019 (Antara) - Leuser National Park is the last natural place on Earth, home to four mega fauna species of Sumatran rhinos (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii), Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris), and Sumatran elephants (Elephas maximus sumatranus).   
     Leuser is also a habitat for most fauna, ranging from mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians to fish and invertebrates. It is a region having the longest list of birds in the world, up to 380 species, with 350 of them found in this park, which is also home to owa (Hylobates lar) and kedih (Presbytis thomasi).

        Moreover, the Leuser Ecosystem (KEL) is also a national strategic area owing to its environmental functions, notably as sources of clean water and air. It mitigates disaster impacts, such as erosion, pest, and climate change. 
   The KEL covers over 2.6 million hectares of intact forest area located in 13 districts in Aceh Province and three districts in North Sumatra.    
   Of the 2.6 million hectares, some 2.25 million hectares are in Aceh Province, while the remaining 384 thousand hectares are in North Sumatra Province. 
  Inside the KEL are the Mount Leuser National Park, nature reserve area, protected forest, production forest, limited production forest, permanent production forest, and convertible production forest.

       The natural scenery in KEL is charming and diverse, ranging from natural green scenery, crystal clear river water, beautiful waterfalls, diverse life, and fresh air, to a variety of rare animals.

         Aceh's KEL is home to 8,500 plant species, 105 mammal species, and 382 bird species.

        However, the Leuser environment is being threatened by development activities, as over four million people of Aceh live in KEL. The area has also been encroached by land clearance to make way for plantation, industry, and roads.

Year Ender - PLASTIC USE EDUCATION SHOULD START AT EARLY AGE by Fardah

  Jakarta, Dec 13, 2018 (Antara) - Indonesia is a haven for those preferring to use plastic, as plastic products can be found easily and bought at relatively low prices in the country, with a population of some 260 million.

         As an oil producing nation, Indonesia has manufactured various types of goods made of plastics, whose basic ingredient is crude petroleum.

        Despite several benefits that plastics have offered and made life easier, plastic use has environmental consequences, such as land and marine pollution due to plastic waste and deaths of wildlife after ingesting plastics or becoming entangled in plastic trash.

        Plastic has toxic pollutants that harm the environment and cause land, water, and air pollution. It can take hundreds or also thousands of years for plastic to break down, so damage to the environment is long-lasting.

        As to dangers it poses to wildlife, recent public outcry and protests erupted against the effects on wildlife from ingesting or becoming trapped in plastic debris.

         In Indonesia, three sea turtles were found dead some 150 meters off Pari Island, Seribu (One Thousand) Islands District, Jakarta, on November 27, 2018, apparently due to plastic litter found in their mouths and front claws.

         On Nov 19, a carcass of a 9.5-meter-long sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) was discovered by local fishermen, as it was washed ashore the Kapota Isle, Wakatobi District, Southeast Sulawesi. A total of 5.9 kilograms of plastic waste were found in the whale's stomach, including flip-flops and 115 drinking cups.

        As concern over plastic waste is mounting, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has ordered inclusion of plastic waste education in the school curriculum.

SYNERGY AMONG MINISTRIES CRUCIAL TO ADDRESSING MARINE POLLUTION by Fardah

Jakarta , Nov 30,  2018  (Antara) - Three sea turtles were found dead some 150 meters off Pari Island, Seribu (One Thousand) Islands District, Jakarta, Nov 27, apparently due to plastic litter and oil spill, Jakarta Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) stated.

        The turtles were covered in mucus, and plastic litter was found in their mouths and front claws, Chief of Conservation Section of the BKSDA Office in Hajarta Ida Harwati testified.

         Earlier, on Nov 19, a carcass of a 9.5-meter-long sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) was discovered by local fishermen, as it was washed ashore the Kapota Isle, Wakatobi District, Southeast Sulawesi.

        Researchers of the Wakatobi Fisheries and Maritime Community Academy were shocked to find 5.9 kilograms of plastic waste in the whale's stomach, including flip-flops and 115 drinking cups.

        Globally, thousands of marine animals were killed by plastic wastes in ocean. Every year, some one-third of the marine biota, including coral reefs and also seabirds, die owing to plastic wastes that end up in the ocean.

        This situation is a matter of grave concern, considering that coral reefs play a major role in protecting the coast from erosion, coastal flooding, and other destructive events caused by the sea water phenomena. Coral reefs also offer food and shelter for the growth for various marine biota.

        A low turtle population is also concerning since sea turtles play a crucial role in the ecosystem by keeping the wetlands and rivers clean.      
    According to the WWF Indonesia's official website, four of the six species of sea turtles -- green turtles (Chelonia mydas), "belimbing" or leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea), "sisik" or hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), and "lekang" or olive Ripley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) -- lay their eggs on Indonesian beaches.

RISING ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN OVER PLASTIC WASTE POLLUTING INDONESIAN SEAS by Fardah

Jakarta, Nov 21, 2018 (Antara) - The carcass of a 9.5-meter-long sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) washed ashore the Kapota isle, Wakatobi District, Southeast Sulawesi, on November 19, 2018.

       Researchers of the Wakatobi Fisheries and Maritime Community Academy were shocked to find 5.9 kilograms of plastic waste in the whale's stomach, including flip-flops and 115 drinking cups.

          The giant mammal had ingested 750 grams of 115 plastic cups, 140 grams of 19 hard plastic, 150 grams of four plastic bottles, 260 grams of 25 plastic bags, six pieces of wood weighing 740 grams, two flip-flops of 270 grams, a 200-gram nylon sack, and over a thousand pieces of raffia string weighing 3,260 grams, Laode Ahyar, an official of the Wakatobi National Park, informed an Antara correspondent in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, on November 20, 2018.    
    The cause of the whale's death was not known, but considering the large lump of plastic waste in its stomach, it is mostly likely that the plastic waste caused the animal's death.

          This is the second whale stranded ashore the Wakatobi waters this year, after a 13-meter-long whale was found dead in the Bombana waters, last February.

         Plastic waste is littering oceans and threatening the lives of millions of marine animals. Seals, whales, dolphins, seabirds, fish, crabs, and several other marine animals are dying and falling sick after being contaminated by plastic waste, thereby raising serious environmental concern.

         Indonesia, the world's largest archipelagic nation rich in marine biodiversity, is known as one of the major producers of plastic waste.

         According to data of the Environmental Affairs and Forestry Ministry, the amount of plastic waste used in Indonesia continues to increase, from nine percent in 1995 to 16 percent this year.

       Disposable plastic bags, plastic straws, styrofoam, and plastic bottles are widely used in Indonesia, which is an oil-producing country and the world's largest archipelagic nation, with a population of some 260 million. 
   Every year, around one-third of the marine biota, including coral reefs and also seabirds, die owing to plastic wastes that end up in the ocean.

CHINA LIFTING TIGER BONE BAN FEARED TO AFFECT SUMATRAN TIGERS by Fardah

Jakarta, Nov 10, 2018  (Antara) - China's decision to reverse the 25-year ban on the trade of tiger bones and rhino horns has triggered an outcry from various conservation groups internationally and considered the move a regress in wildlife conservation efforts.

        In response to the move, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) issued a statement in Beijing on October 29, 2018, expressing its profound concern over China's announcement on the same day that it has legalized the use of tiger bones and rhino horns from captive-bred animals by hospitals and domestic trade in antique tiger and rhino products.

        "It is deeply concerning that China has reversed its 25-year-old tiger bone and rhino horn ban, allowing a trade that will have devastating consequences globally," Margaret Kinnaird, WWF Wildlife Practice Leader, affirmed.

        A similar concern was voiced by Greenpeace Africa's Senior Political Advisor Fredrick Njehu, saying that China's decision to reopen trade of rhino horns and tiger bones will not only reactivate the demand for rhino products but will also contribute to a rise in poaching and other illegal activities
   WWF and Greenpeace Africa urgently call on China to not only maintain their 1993 ban on tiger bone and rhino horn trade but to also extend it to cover trade in all tiger parts and products, regardless of whether they are from captive-bred or wild animals.

        An Indonesian environmentalist has also expressed his concern over China's decision to legalize tiger bone use for medicines, as it has the potential to trigger the poaching of Sumatran tigers.

        "For us, this is a regress and leads to bad impacts on conservation efforts in countries having wildlife. China has been viewed as an illegal importer and export destination of protected wildlife so far," Osmantri, coordinator of the Wildlife Crime Team, a working unit of the WWF program in Central Sumatra, stated in Pekanbaru, Riau, recently.

BECOMING ONE WITH MOTHER NATURE by Fardah

Jakarta, Aug 3, 2017 (Antara) - The Indonesian Government observed National Environment Day in a function themed "Connecting People to Nature," held at the Environmental Affairs and Forestry Ministry office in Manggala Wanabakti complex in Jakarta on Aug 2 this year.

         The commemoration was aimed at increasing the people's awareness towards environmental problems such as deforestation, waste management, as well as air and water pollution.   
    Indonesia's forests, which are the third largest in the world after those in Brazil and Congo, hold some of the world's most diverse ecosystems, from endangered orangutans and rhinos to Rafflesias, the biggest flowers on earth.

         But, the country has lost a lot of its tropical rain forest due to illegal logging and rapid conversion of forests to plantations, despite the fact that since May 2011, the government has imposed moratorium on granting new licenses to clear forests in primary natural forest and peatland areas.

         Some companies appeared to have exploited protected national parks, for instance, to make way for plantations or have destroyed industrial parks, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) remarked while leading the function to observe National Environment Day 2017.

         The Head of State revealed that he will tighten requirements on the issuance of permits for the forest industry to protect natural resources and preserve the environment.

          "We should stop issuing any careless and irresponsible work permits to companies planning to operate in forest areas," Jokowi noted.

           The main objective of granting permits for industries in forest areas is to improve the welfare of the people.

            "The problem now is that most communities living near industrial forests are poor. Hence, we should rethink whether the teakwood plantations had contributed to the people's well-being" the president rhetorically told the audience.

"LOVE LEUSER ECOSYSTEM" CAMPAIGN TO SAVE LAST MEGADIVERSE ECOSYSTEM by Fardah

  Jakarta, March 30, 2017 (Antara) - The Leuser ecosystem located in Aceh and North Sumatra is among the most biodiverse and ancient ecosystems to be ever documented by science and the last habitat of Sumatran orangutans, elephants, tigers, rhinos, and sun bears.    
    Countless other biological treasures, including clouded leopards, hornbills, and the biggest flowers in the world, can be found in the teeming forests of the Leuser Ecosystem, where over 460 thousand acres of carbon-rich peatlands exist.  
    An animal called the "Thomas Leaf Monkey," or known as Monkey Kedih, is an endemic species of Leuser, and is not found anywhere else in the world.

         The ecosystem is part of the 2.5 million-hectare Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra site that comprises three national parks: Gunung Leuser National Park, Kerinci Seblat National Park, and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park.
    The site holds the greatest potential for long-term conservation of the distinctive and diverse biota of Sumatra, including many endangered species.

         The protected area is home to an estimated 10,000 plant species, including 17 endemic genera; more than 200 mammal species; and some 580 bird species of which 465 are resident and 21 are endemic. Of the mammal species, 22 are Asian, not found elsewhere in the archipelago and 15 are confined to the Indonesian region, including the endemic Sumatran orang-utan. The site also provides biogeographic evidence of the evolution of the island.      

INDONESIAN SHOPPERS TO NO LONGER GET FREE PLASTIC BAGS by Fardah

   Jakarta, Feb 23, 2016 (Antara)- Indonesia is a haven for plastic lovers as shoppers can get free plastic bags and even request for extras to take home without being charged or questioned by shop cashiers.

          Hence, it comes as no surprise that Indonesia is estimated to generate 68 million tons of garbage in 2019, including around 9.52 tons of plastic garbage, or 14 percent of the total waste.

          According to a study conducted by a research team led by Jenna Jambeck from the University of Georgia, more than half of the plastic waste that flows into the oceans comes from five countries: China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka.

          China is said to become the major contributor of the world's plastic waste, with 8.82 tons per year of mismanaged plastic waste, while Indonesia comes second, with 3.32 tons per year.

          However, the nation has decided to put an end to this luxury of having free plastic bags, as from February 21, customers in at least 22 cities will have to pay for the plastic bags they use to take home their purchases.

Year-ender: TIME FOR INDONESIA TO TAKE CONCRETE ACTION TO CUT CARBON EMISSIONS by Fardah

Jakarta, Dec 26, 2015 (Antara) - The Indonesian government has pledged to increase its commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions' growth by 29 percent by 2030, up from the previous promise of 26 percent by 2020.

         With international support, the emission could be reduced by as much as 41 percent.  
    President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) reaffirmed his commitment before 147 heads of state and governments during the Paris Climate Change Conference in late November 2015.

         "I hope we are all part of the solution to make the earth a more liveable place for our children and grand children," Jokowi said.    
    Having the world's third largest forest area that serves as the world's lungs, Indonesia has decided to be part of the solution, the president remarked.

INDONESIA URGES COUPLES TO PLANT TREES BEFORE MARRIAGE by Fardah

 Jakarta, Dec 1, 2015 (Antara)- Indonesia is known as the lung of the world for having the world's largest forest area after Brazil and Congo.

         However, due to its dwindling forest area, the government has set a target to plant billions of trees to rehabilitate the forest area and re-green the country's arid regions.

         The massive tree-planting movement is also part of the country's efforts to fulfill its pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 29 percent from projected levels in 2030.   
    The government has claimed that over the past five years, the Indonesian public has planted 7.3 billion trees.

        However, of the total 190 million hectares, the country still has 24.3 million hectares of arid area.

         President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) led a function to celebrate Indonesia's Tree Planting Day and Tree Planting Month at the Sultan Adam People Forest Park (Tahura) in Banjar, South Kalimantan, on November 26, 2015, by planting a three-meter-high gaharu tree (gyrinops versteegii).

TREE PLANTING MOVEMENT TO SUPPORT FOOD SOVEREIGNTY PROGRAM by Fardah

     Jakarta, Nov 30, 2014 (Antara) - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo attended a national commemoration of Indonesian Tree Planting Day (HMPI) 2014 and National Tree Planting Month (BMN) held in Tempursari village, Wonogiri District, Central Java, on Nov 29.

         Some 37,000 tree seedlings were planted, including a teakwood tree by Jokowi and Magnolia × alba, also known as the White Champaca, by First Lady Iriana Widodo, at the venue of the commemoration ceremony.

         "Preserved Forests to Support Food Sovereignty, Water and Renewable Energy" was the theme of this year's HMPI and BMN activities, according to Environmental Affairs and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya.