Indonesia optimistic about a post Kyoto deal
Updated
As the Australian government battles to introduce a carbon trading scheme into parliament, Indonesia's environment minister says he hopes Australia will deepen its proposed cuts to carbon emissions. But Rachmat Witoelar is optimistic about achieving a new meaningful agreement to replace the existing Kyoto Protocol now that the United States seems to be on board.
Presenter: Karon Snowdon
Speakers: Rachmat Witoelar, Indonesian environment minister; Martin Parkinson, head of the Australian government's Climate Change Department
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SNOWDON: The Australian government's plan to introduce a carbon trading scheme as a major part of its response to climate change is under threat. The main opposition and Green parties are insisting on an inquiry into the scheme after the government agreed and then withdrew its own plans for an inquiry. In addition, opposition figures prefer a straight out carbon tax, while the Greens want much higher reduction targets than those set by the government. Treading carefully, Indonesia's environment minister, Rachmat Witoelar, would also like to see Australia deepen its cuts to greenhouse gas emissions.
WITOELAR: I'm not telling Australia, but I hope they will have deeper cuts and more ambitious programmes.
SNOWDON: Australia's climate change minister, Penny Wong, is proposing a carbon reduction target of between 5-15 per cent. The low range has been criticised at home and abroad as setting a dangerous precedent for a developed country to take to negotiations in Copenhagen. The head of the government's own Climate Change Department, Martin Parkinson, told a senate committee that reduced activity from the global economic slowdown, even in major economies like China, won't slow down pollution at the same time.
PARKINSON: The atmospheric stock of CO2 is likely to continue rising.
SNOWDON: The commitment of the developed world to significant carbon cuts, and to staggered cuts by less developed nations, will be crucial to any hope of success in Copenhagen. Indonesia's Rachmat Witoelar says he is more optimistic now that the Bali Roadmap of 2007 can come up with a replacement UN agreement by December. The deal in Bali did not mandate targets, but said deep cuts will be essential to avoid the worst effects of climate change.
Rachmat Witoelar says the engagement of the United States under President Barack Obama could make all the difference between success and failure.
WITOELAR: The developed countries, because of the financial crisis, I think they have second thoughts, although they don't really acknowledge that but I know they are thinking maybe they cannot meet their obligations. But now it has a new momentum because the Obama policies have energised the Bali Roadmap, and Madam Hilary Clinton and the Obama administration will support the Bali Roadmap to be implemented in Copenhagen.
SNOWDON: Well, you met with Hilary Clinton during her visit to Jakarta, did you get a commitment?
WITOELAR: Well, she was there very briefly, I just saw here. But there was bilateral meetings with the president [Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono] and [foreign minister] Hassan Wirajuda, but on her own she volunteered that climate change is on the top of agenda of the Obama administration.
SNOWDON: Do you think that will make the crucial difference to a final outcome?
WITOELAR: Yes, yes, it does make the crucial difference because it was part of the problem.
SNOWDON: Will Indonesia eventually set emission reduction targets nationally?
WITOELAR: Yes, we will, in fact we have set national goals, which are not binding internationally, but we realise that low carbon growth is the way to go, so we are working towards that and we will publish it after the developed countries have done so.
SNOWDON: And I know you're working towards setting up a carbon market in Indonesia, what benefit would that bring to the country?
WITOELAR: Well, I think it will accelerate what we're doing because it has financial incentive, economic incentives, to the private sector as well to the population that can get financial benefit from that. The bottom line is the livelihood of the people and this carbon market will enhance our ability to give better livelihood to the people.
