Indonesia Plays Key Role in Global Forest Protection

London, UK (Antara) - Indonesia has strived to strengthen the law to protect tropical forests and acknowledge the indigenous people's rights as raised during the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) Exchange Conference 2016 in Oslo, Norway.

The conference aims at exchanging views, opinions, experiences, and ideas on concrete actions to be taken in order to stop deforestation and to prevent global warming, according to a press statement from the Indonesian Embassy on Oslo, Norway, received by Antara here on Wednesday.

At least 60 representatives from Indonesia are participating in the forum comprising those from the Indonesian Embassy in Oslo, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the Peatland Restoration Agency, private sectors, non-governmental organizations, and the provincial administrations of South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, and West Papua .

In her speech, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg drew focus on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, one of which is to stop deforestation by 2020.

The prime minister also recalled the Climate Agreement launched in Paris to keep the increase in global average temperature to well below two degrees Celsius.

Solberg highlighted the importance of forging partnership and cooperation among all stakeholders to achieve these goals.

She lauded Indonesian President Joko Widodo's policy on the moratorium on forestry and peatland businesses.

Discussions on two themes related to Indonesia were held at the conference: "Can business-as-usual deforestation be confronted and reserved?" and "Kalimantan, Indonesia: What are the prospects for transformational change in land-use?"

Indonesia and Norway share a REDD+ bilateral partnership. The relations between the two countries in the field of environment and forestry have grown stronger.

In September 2015, Indonesian Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya had undertaken a work visit to Norway.

The visit was reciprocated by Norwegian Minister of Environment and Climate Vidar Helgesen in February 2016.(*)