Indonesia as chairman of ASEAN will intensify the voice of its member states in their position on climate change talks at the 17th Summit on Climate Change in Durban, South Africa, in 2011, a minister said.
“As of January 2011, senior officials from 10 ASEAN member countries will hold a meeting to prepare one ASEAN voice on climate change,” Environment Minister Gusti Muhammad Hatta said on the sidelines of the 17th Summit on Climate Change in Cancun, Mexico, Friday (Dec 10).
The reason for intensified efforts was because ASEAN seems not to have one voice or stance in negotiations at the climate change summit, he said.
“We are giving a sign that while Indonesia is holding the ASEAN Chair in 2011, it will further highlight ASEAN in dealing with climate change issues,” he said.
Climate change issues to be discussed by ASEAN countries included mitigation and adaptation programs to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD plus).
The Indonesian delegation said that they are working actively in the 17th Summit on Climate Change, while Indonesia was appointed a facilitator to lobby the participating countries on climate change mitigation and MRV (Measurement, Reporting, and Verification) in the negotiations.
“We must be grateful that the President of COP16 Patricia Espinosa has trusted Indonesia, along with several strategic ministers of other countries, to facilitate negotiations in search for common ground among key countries,” Indonesian chief delegate Rachmat Witoelar said in Cancun, Mexico, Tuesday (Dec 6).
This measure was taken as the COP President perceived the negotiations would have the tendency to become stagnant, he said.
The 16th COP President Patricia Espinosa explicitly requested assistance from facilitators to facilitate the negotiations on several issues regarding mitigation and MRV.
The Indonesian delegation saw the facilitator designation as confirmation of the world’s recognition of Indonesia’s capability in implementing a constructive approach to several key countries.
