U.S. Allocated US$500 Mln For Energy, Forest Preservation In Indonesia

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The United States plans to implement a $500 million program in Indonesia that will help catalyze investment in renewable energy, preserve carbon-rich primary forests and encourage sustainable forest management, a U.S. envoy said.

 "We are expecting an increasingly severe El Nino phenomenon this year, which will reduce rainfall drastically in much of Indonesia. Climate change models predict that El Nino events will double in frequency," U.S. Ambassador Robert Blake was quoted as saying by the U.S. Embassy on Monday.

He pointed out that climate change was a challenge that would define the contours of this century more dramatically than any other.  

"The impact of climate change is affecting Indonesia already, and will worsen, undermining development and exacerbating poverty, jeopardizing President Joko Widodo's priorities for improving Indonesians' standards of living," the ambassador said in his remarks at the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia Conference on Climate Change in Jakarta.

Blake said the average sea surface level has risen by about 20 centimeters since the end of the 19th century.  

"Forty percent of Jakarta is already below sea level and vulnerable to flooding, imagine the costs of protecting this city against a sea that is another 20, 40, or even 60 centimeters higher by the end of this century," he said.

According to Blake, Indonesia is world famous for its spectacular coral reefs, the heart of the Coral Triangle. Yet, carbon dioxide in the air is increasing ocean acidity, making it harder for corals to build their structures.  

"If carbon dioxide concentrations continue on their current path, the region could lose 30 percent of its corals by 2050. Imagine the loss to Indonesia's natural heritage, to the fisheries industries dependent on healthy reefs, and to the multi-billion dollar tourism industry anchored by these reefs," he stressed.

Rainfall will become more unpredictable and intense. Think of the damage caused already by storms, flooding, and mudslides, and imagine the losses as these events become more frequent and intense.

The unpredictability of rainfall, even if the amount does not change, will also challenge farmers, who are already under pressure to boost yields to feed Indonesia's population.

"That's why the United States has proposed a $500 million program for Indonesia that will help catalyze investment in renewable energy, preserve its carbon-rich primary forests and encourage sustainable forest management," Blake noted. (WDY)