REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Greenpeace Indonesia said it hoped the next government will extend and strengthen the moratorium for forest conversion license to cope with the impact of climate change in the country.

"Extension of the moratorium with stronger regulation could contribute to rehabilitating damaged forests and minimize the impact of climate change," head of Greenpeace Indonesia Longgena Ginting said here on Thursday.

Under the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono the moratorium had been extended twice but there are still many cases of violation of the moratorium, Longgena said.

With extension of the moratorium , license is suspected until 2015 for exploitation for natural forests and peat land.

Longgena said according to data from IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)in 2013, Indonesia one of the countries which are vulnerable to climate change.

Forests, therefore are vital to absorb carbon emission to prevent the carbon dioxide surplus from being absorbed by the sea, he said.

In Indonesia the carbon emission problem was attributable mainly to forest destruction such as forest fires and illegal or licensed logging, he added.

He said the recent forest fire in Riau was a result of climate change, which caused an increase in temperature.

Under high temperature as a result of climate change, forests and including peat forests are easily hit by fires, he said.

Greenpeace, therefore asks the next government to improve forest management.

Indonesia will have new government late this year after presidential election on July 9.

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