JOINT PRESS RELEASE

THE THIRD MEETING OF INDONESIA-EUROPEAN UNION

WORKING GROUP ON ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(The 3rd INDONESIA-EUROPEAN UNION WGECC)

JAKARTA AND BRUSSELS, 30 JUNE – 2 JULY 2020

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Indonesia and the EU to Enhance Cooperation on Environment and Climate Change

On 30 June-2 July 2020 via teleconference, Senior Officials from Indonesia and the European Union initiated the third meeting of the Working Group on Environment and Climate Change (WGECC). The Meeting was formally opened by the Director General for Climate Change, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Mr Ruandha Agung Sugardiman, and Director for Global Sustainable Development, European Commission, Ms Astrid Schomaker.

They addressed the importance of continuity in the meetings of the Working Group under the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA). Further both Director General Ruandha and Director Schomaker reaffirmed the shared commitment of Indonesia and the EU to enhance cooperation on protecting the environment and mitigating climate change, as well as to fulfill both sides’ commitments to the 2030 SDG agenda, the Paris Agreement, and other bilateral and multilateral environmental agreements and conventions.

In his opening remarks, Mr Ruandha stressed the need for an enhanced cooperation against the backdrop of the unprecedented economic and health crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Through this 3rd meeting of the working Working Group, Indonesia is aiming to find collaborative options to address Indonesia and EU’s common challenges in creating a better world for future generations. This includes sharing best practices in sustainable forest management, implementation of various environmental and climate change related conventions and agreements, sustainable consumption and production, circular economy, waste management, sustainable management of biodiversity and encouraging the use of renewable energy including palm oil. Indonesia stands ready to work as an equal partner with the EU in bilateral, regional, and multilateral forums. Indonesia encourages the EU to take a robust stance to curb the illegal transboundary traffic of hazardous waste.

In her opening remarks, Ms Schomaker emphasized  the need to work towards robust and effective strategies to de-escalate and recover from the Covid 19 crisis and the EU commitment to a “Green  Recovery”, guided by UN Secretary General Guterres’ idea to “build back better”, leaving no one behind. Ms Schomaker presented the European Green Deal (EGD) – the EU’s new sustainable growth strategy for a climate-neutral, resource efficient and circular economy that preserves and restores biodiversity and natural capital, and protects citizens’ health, while also promoting job creation. The European Green Deal remains central to the EU’s recovery plan.  EU Ambassador Vincent Piket also recalled the centrality of environment and climate change issues, both for bilateral cooperation and for the diplomatic relationship between EU and Indonesia.

Throughout the three days of virtual meetings, Indonesia and EU discussed a wide range of issues, divided into three main sessions - namely Environment, Climate Change, and Future Cooperation. The sessions were co-chaired by:

• the Director for Climate Change Mitigation, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Ms Emma Rachmawati, and Mr Noer Adi Wardojo, Head for Environment and Forestry Standardization for Indonesia, and by
• Ms Schomaker and the Director for International, Mainstreaming and Policy Coordination, European Commission, Ms Yvon Slingenberg, for the EU.

Both Parties reaffirmed their shared commitment to maintain momentum under the Paris Agreement and strive to complete the operational rules on transparency and carbon markets at COP26. The current priority remains to deliver on national implementation such as the update of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and the development of long-term strategies (LTS), in line with Paris goals of reaching economy wide carbon neutrality in the second half of the century.

Upon the conclusion of the meeting, both Indonesia and the EU expressed satisfaction with having the third WGECC meeting and agreed to:

• further intensify their cooperation  on environment and climate change issues;
• organize the technical meetings and exchanges of information mentioned in the appendix;
• convene the 4th WGECC in Brussels, first quarter of 2021.

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APPENDIX: AGREED LIST OF MAIN DELIVERABLES

The EU and Indonesia have agreed to organize technical meetings on:

• FLEGT VPA, and the International Tropical Timber Organization;
• Post-2020 Global Framework for Biodiversity under the Convention on Biological Diversity, including Access and Benefit Sharing, and Digital Sequence Information on genetic resources;
• Trade of wildlife and implementation of the UN Convention on the Trade of Endangered Species;
• Protection and sustainable management of marine, coastal, mangrove and coral reef areas;
• Circular Economy, including working towards significantly reducing the environmental impacts of plastics, waste management and trade;
• Work together on the implementation of resolutions adopted in the fourth UN Environment Assembly (UNEA4) and explore potential follow up actions to be jointly promoted in the lead up to UNEA 5;
• The coherence and alignment of socio-economic recovery plans with the climate transition;
• The administration, governance and environmental integrity of emissions trading systems;
• Modelling and long-term strategies;
• Adaptation and climate resilience in bilateral, regional, as well as multilateral frameworks, to reach the ambitious goal of Paris Agreement;
• Development of coherent framework for sustainable finance;
• Renewable energy production and associated enablers.

In addition, Indonesia and the EU agreed to exchange further information on:

• Social Forestry;
• monitoring and implementation of the VPA, including consultations with key Indonesian stakeholders;
• working jointly to minimize deforestation and promote sustainable supply chains;
• the upcoming biennale High Level Dialogue on Maritime and Fisheries, multilaterally as well as the dialogue on Ocean Climate Dialogue on the Sidelines of the upcoming SBSTA 52 Meeting in June 2021;
• waste trade under the Basel Convention;
• intensifying climate outreach to the Indonesian private sector,
• the next G20 Environment Ministers meeting, with a view to promote joint priorities relative to coral reefs, marine litter, resource efficiency and circular economy, land degradation, and climate action;
• new Indonesian regulations about limiting the expansion of palm oil concessions, a national action plan on sustainable palm oil, and the development of new principles and criteria for certifying the production of sustainable palm oil (ISPO);
• a multi-stakeholder platform meeting, in Brussels, October 2020, in the context of further EU action to protect and restore the world’s forests.