REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Minister of Environment and Forestry (LHK) Siti Nurbaya held a bilateral meeting with her Czech counterpart, Minister of Environment Richard Brabec on Monday (21/6). The meeting talked about strengthening cooperation between both countries, marked by the signing of Letter of Intent (LoI) Indonesia - Czech Republic about Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development Cooperation.

The meeting also discussed on relationships between governments in terms of experts, botanical garden, and academics. Both delegations were exchanging information and experiences on environmental protection efforts, biodiversity, and climate change, especially renewable energy, waste management, circular economy.

Minister Siti emphasized that Indonesian government always committed to implement global agreement on environmental issues. Indonesian government also puts attention to environmental problems and takes action based on science.

“The commitment of Indonesian Government in the agenda of climate change control is stated on Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). Indonesia commits to decrease GRK emission 29 percent using national resources, and decrease emission up to 41 percent by 2030 with international support,” Minister Siti said.

In national level, Indonesia has completed all REDD+ instruments, including Forest Reference Emission Level (FREL), Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV), National Registration System (SRN), Safeguard Information System (SIS REDD+) and its budgeting. In relation to that, Indonesia has formed Environmental Fund Management Agency (BPDLH) on October 2019.

Furthermore, Minister Siti said that waste management became priority for Indonesia. Government has issued Presidential Regulation No 97/2017 about National Policy and Strategy on Waste Management.

The target is to manage waste up to 100 percent by 2025, by using 30 percent waste reduction and 70 percent waste management. Waste reduction means the paradigm of waste management emphasizes on upstream policy by using 3R pattern (reduce, reuse, recycle). It is in line with waste reduction program from producer using Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) approach.

“Supporting the efforts, we limit the usage of plastic bag, plastic straw, and single use Styrofoam container in modern retail and food and beverage industries. Until October 2020, two provinces, which are Bali and Jakarta, and also 38 cities have implemented the regulation on the prohibition of using single use plastic,” Minister Siti explained.

During the event, Minister Richard Brabec said that besides meeting Minister of Environment and Forestry, he was scheduled to meet Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, and Coordinating Minister of Economics Affairs. He is also scheduled to visit several places in Indonesia.

Minister Richard Brabec emphasized his hopes for cooperation opportunities on academic/university level and business to business. His intention also proved by his delegation that includes academics and associations as well as business entities, especially reusable plastic industry.

“I hope bilateral relationship between Indonesia and Czech Republic in environment and forestry can be enhanced so that it becomes profitable for both countries,” he said.

During the meeting, Minister of Environment and Forestry (LHK) Siti Nurbaya was accompanied by Indonesian Ambassador to Czech Republic, Director General of Ecosystem and Natural Resources Conservation (KSDAE), Acting Director General of Forest Rehabilitation Watershed Management (PDASRH), Director General of Waste, Hazardous, Toxic and Waste Management (PSLB3), Acting Director General of Pollution Control and Environmental Degradation (PPKL), Director General of Climate Change Control (PPI), Head of Forestry Research, Development, and Innovation Agency (BLI) and Bureau Chief of Foreign Affairs (KLN).

Meanwhile, the delegation of Czech Republic includes Czech Republic Ambassador to Indonesia, Deputy Minister of Environment of Czech Republic, and experts on industry, botanical garden, waste management.