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cted-yield-real-actions.html

Papua biodiversity conference expected to yield real actions
Niken Prathivi , The Jakarta Post , Jayapura, Papua | Fri, 11/13/2009 10:51
AM | National



The first Papua International Biodiversity Convention for sustainable
development, which runs from Tuesday to Saturday, is expected to produce
fruitful recommendations including a road map to the UN Framework Convention on
Climate Change (Unfccc) in Copenhagen next month.

Papua Governor Barnabas Suebu said Thursday the convention being held in
Jayapura was expected to inspire real actions in order to bring fresh ideas to
the Unfccc.

"This [event] is one of the steps between the Unfccc in Bali in 2007 and the
Copenhagen convention," Barnabas told a press conference on the sideline of the
convention Thursday.

"Our idea in organizing the four-day event is to produce applicable steps in
maintaining biodiversity, especially in building sustainable development in
Papua.

"The results of this convention will be presented at Copenhagen to show to the
world that Papua is capable of handling environmental issues, especially in
reducing emissions and mitigating global climate change effects," he said.

Barnabas said Indonesia is now heavily dependent on Papua's forests for
biodiversity and oxygen supply. Therefore, the convention would emphasize the
preservation of Papua's forests.

Papua has a total of 41.25 million hectares of forests. Some 50 percent of the
total forest area is allocated as conservation areas; 30 percent is for
production forests; and the remaining 20 percent is set aside for conversion
forests.

"However, of around 8 million hectares of forests that are allocated for
conversion, we will probably use only a million hectares," Barnabas said, adding
that the converted land could be used for oil palm plantations that would be
sustainably managed to avoid damaging the forest ecosystem.

Barnabas further said that Papua has started to apply a policy to plant 10 trees
for every tree felled.

"Under this policy, the Papuan people will start to earn a living from planting
and nurturing trees, rather than felling them as they used to do."

These real actions, said Barnabas, are examples of initiatives that could be
implemented at an international level through the Copenhagen event.

"So, I'm really hoping that this convention produces fruitful recommendations as
a follow up to the country's commitment in mitigating climate change and
emissions.

"In Copenhagen we will definitely present what Papua has already done and is
about to do [for nature conservation], and hopefully, we could earn concrete
financial gains from the REDD scheme," said Barnabas, referring to the scheme
for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation.

Prominent environmentalist Emil Salim said the world had committed to prioritize
sustainable development by, among other things, preserving the environment.

"With its richness and uniqueness in biodiversity, Papua could be an open
laboratory for the world in finding new ways to implement sustainable
development," said Emil, a member of a presidential advisory council, adding
that Papua had half of Indonesia's total biodiversity.

"Through this convention, I really hope Papua can lead the world in methods of
carrying out development without damaging the environment. We could start to
give added value to our natural resources, instead of exploiting them," he
added.

West Papua Governor Abraham Oktavianus said he considered Papua a standard
bearer of global forest conservation.

"Let's do something to avoid the possible destruction of Papua's forests,"
Abraham said in a statement.


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