Rudd signs up for joint effort on climate change
The Jakarta Post , Jakarta Sat, 06/14/2008 11:07 AM Headlines
The Jakarta Post , Jakarta Sat, 06/14/2008 11:07 AM Headlines
Indonesia has secured pledges from Australia in various areas, including in relation to the forest carbon market and education, in a busy day of signing for visiting Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Rudd signed the joint Forest Carbon Partnership agreement at Merdeka Palace on Friday, and agreed to develop a roadmap for access to international carbon markets.
The partnership will allow Indonesia to use Australian technology to track carbon stored in its forests and help Indonesia reduce emissions caused by deforestation and forest degradation.
Under the agreement, the two countries will work together to build a roadmap that sets out incentives for developing countries to implement the Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) scheme.
"The Indonesia-Australia Forest Carbon Partnership is an example of our concrete cooperation to overcome the impacts of climate change," Yudhoyono told a joint press conference.
Yudhoyono and Rudd attended the UN climate change summit in Bali last December, during which Indonesia's REDD initiative was adopted as a possible mechanism to tackle global warming after the Kyoto Protocol commitment expires in 2012.
"This partnership is important for the future, considering the great contribution of rain forests to reducing the impacts of climate change. What we agreed today is a practical program between the two countries to make our efforts better," Rudd said.
This is Rudd's first visit to Indonesia since he was sworn in as the Australian prime minister.
Rudd broke with the policies of the Howard government and ratified the Kyoto Protocol on global warming in one of his first acts after taking power.
He said Australia and Indonesia would take the plan to a G-8 summit in the northern Japanese resort of Toyako next month, which is expected to have climate change as its focus.
Yudhoyono and Rudd also discussed expanding the two countries' security cooperation within the framework of the Lombok Treaty.
A communication glitch occurred during Yudhoyono's response to Canberra's decision to maintain a travel warning for Australian citizens visiting Indonesia.
Yudhoyono said he could understand the policy, but the interpreter mistakenly said the President demanded the warning be revoked. Yudhoyono then asked presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng to rectify the mistake.
Rudd also visited leaders of Indonesia's largest Muslim organizations Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah.
At the Muhammadiyah office, Rudd and Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin signed a memorandum of understanding on broadening the partnership between the Australian government and the Muslim organization in the fields of education, health, culture and democracy.
Under the agreement Muhammadiyah and the Australian government will launch a student exchange program, Din said.
Australia will also provide funds for NU over three years to help improve education for students and teachers at Islamic boarding schools, particularly in disaster-hit areas.
Rudd's visit also marked the second phase of the ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Program, under which Australia has pledged to contribute A$57 million to support ASEAN's economic integration goals.
"Australia is committed to supporting ASEAN's efforts to establish an economic community by 2015 and economic integration is an important step in that process," Rudd said during his visit to the ASEAN secretariat on Friday to launch the cooperation program. from www.Thejakartapost.com
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Rudd signed the joint Forest Carbon Partnership agreement at Merdeka Palace on Friday, and agreed to develop a roadmap for access to international carbon markets.
The partnership will allow Indonesia to use Australian technology to track carbon stored in its forests and help Indonesia reduce emissions caused by deforestation and forest degradation.
Under the agreement, the two countries will work together to build a roadmap that sets out incentives for developing countries to implement the Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) scheme.
"The Indonesia-Australia Forest Carbon Partnership is an example of our concrete cooperation to overcome the impacts of climate change," Yudhoyono told a joint press conference.
Yudhoyono and Rudd attended the UN climate change summit in Bali last December, during which Indonesia's REDD initiative was adopted as a possible mechanism to tackle global warming after the Kyoto Protocol commitment expires in 2012.
"This partnership is important for the future, considering the great contribution of rain forests to reducing the impacts of climate change. What we agreed today is a practical program between the two countries to make our efforts better," Rudd said.
This is Rudd's first visit to Indonesia since he was sworn in as the Australian prime minister.
Rudd broke with the policies of the Howard government and ratified the Kyoto Protocol on global warming in one of his first acts after taking power.
He said Australia and Indonesia would take the plan to a G-8 summit in the northern Japanese resort of Toyako next month, which is expected to have climate change as its focus.
Yudhoyono and Rudd also discussed expanding the two countries' security cooperation within the framework of the Lombok Treaty.
A communication glitch occurred during Yudhoyono's response to Canberra's decision to maintain a travel warning for Australian citizens visiting Indonesia.
Yudhoyono said he could understand the policy, but the interpreter mistakenly said the President demanded the warning be revoked. Yudhoyono then asked presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng to rectify the mistake.
Rudd also visited leaders of Indonesia's largest Muslim organizations Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah.
At the Muhammadiyah office, Rudd and Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin signed a memorandum of understanding on broadening the partnership between the Australian government and the Muslim organization in the fields of education, health, culture and democracy.
Under the agreement Muhammadiyah and the Australian government will launch a student exchange program, Din said.
Australia will also provide funds for NU over three years to help improve education for students and teachers at Islamic boarding schools, particularly in disaster-hit areas.
Rudd's visit also marked the second phase of the ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Program, under which Australia has pledged to contribute A$57 million to support ASEAN's economic integration goals.
"Australia is committed to supporting ASEAN's efforts to establish an economic community by 2015 and economic integration is an important step in that process," Rudd said during his visit to the ASEAN secretariat on Friday to launch the cooperation program. from www.Thejakartapost.com
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