Insight: Paris Agreement to test Jakarta’s commitment on carbon emissions

The ratification of the Paris Agreement by the EU, representing 28 countries, on Oct. 4 marked the surpassing of the 55 percent global emissions threshold for the agreement to enter into force. Now, Indonesian delegates are full of confidence as they head to Marrakech. There are at least four reasons for Indonesia to get excited and work harder.
First, ratification will allow Indonesia to sit in the first Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement, known as CMA1. Second, Indonesia can start interacting in the funding mechanism under the Paris Agreement, including the Green Climate Fund. Third, being an archipelagic country that is vulnerable to sea level rise, it is also timely to explore adaptation mechanisms under the Paris Agreement. Fourth, Indonesia is to expand coal-fired power generation, which will be the biggest emission factor after land use.

This article was written by Daniel Murdiyarso, a principal scientist at the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)