RI To Propose WOC Declaration As Part Of UN Climate Talks

Jakarta - Indonesia, who will next week host the World Ocean Conference (WOC) in Manado, North Sulawesi, has proposed including the conference`s declaration on the agenda of the upcoming UN climate change talks in Copenhagen.

To achieve this goal, the Indonesian government has drawn up a schedule to ensure the declaration is implemented ahead of the Copenhagen talks in December.

The government would be lobbying all participants at the conference to push for the UN to adopt the Manado Ocean Declaration (MOD) at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meeting in Copenhagen.

"This roadmap stipulates that the MOD should compliment the UNFCCC in dealing with climate change talks," Syamsul Maarif, head of the substance unit of the WOC, told reporters Monday.

The plan was agreed upon during a governmental meeting attended among others by Maritime Affairs and Fishery Minister Freddy Numberi and State Minister for Environment Rachmat Witoelar on Monday.

UNFCCC is an international treaty on environmental issues, which primarily relates to climate change and reducing global warming.

Currently, nearly 200 countries have ratified the convention, which was first enforced on March 21, 1994.

With headquarters in Bonn, Germany, the UNFCCC has so far organized 14 sessions of the Conference of Parties (COP) on climate change, including Bali in 2007, to discuss emissions cuts set under the Kyoto Protocol.

The protocol regulates a legally binding emission target of five percent to all annex I, or developed nations, by 2012.

Emission cuts are currently being met through the management of the energy and forestry sectors.

"We want the oceans, with the ability to absorb carbon, to be part of the UNFCCC," Syamsul said.

The WOC, which will be held from May 11 to May 15, will bring together ministers from 121 countries, most of which are members of the UNFCCC.

Aside from the meeting, around 1,500 experts will also hold an international symposium on ocean policies and science and technology to determine how readily seas absorb carbon.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is the main contributor to global warming.

Minister Freddy has said that Indonesia`s 5.8 million square kilometers of sea could absorb around 245 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) every year.

The Manado Declaration draft has suggested inviting those managing adaptation programs to consider including provisions for funding so as to integrate coastal and ocean management into the context of climate change.

It also stresses the need to promote the transfer of environmentally sound technologies for oceans from developed countries to developing countries to help the latter mitigate the impacts of climate change.

The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was expected to issue the first scientific report on oceans in relation to climate change in 2004. Adianto P. Simamora

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com
Photo: http://www.goblue.or.id

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