Bappenas Receives JICA Award for Climate Change Program

Jakarta (Antara) - The National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) has received a President Award from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in recognition of its significant contribution in handling climate change in Indonesia. Chief of JICA Representative Office for Indonesia Atsushi Sasaki presented the award to Bappenas Chief Armida Alisjahbana, who is also the national development planning minister, here on Thursday. Through the "Cooperation on Climate Change" program, Bappenas, along with the Environment Ministry and the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), has successfully developed programs aimed at lessening the impact of climate change. The government is enacting the program in cooperation with JICA. Armida said the government was committed to working out policies, programs and action plans to handle climate change through mitigation and adaptation efforts. "In the medium-term national development plan 2015-2019, Bappenas will continue to put the issue of climate change on the list of development priorities during the next five years," she said. The steps were taken to help the government achieve its target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 by 26 percent, on its own, and by 41 percent with international support, she said. "The award reflects the international community's recognition of the serious effort made by the Indonesian government to address the issue of climate change," she said. All 33 provinces in Indonesia have completed their action plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, she said. (*)