NOAA ASST. ADMINISTRATOR SPINRAD'S VISIT TO INDONESIA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JAKARTA 002712 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR IO, OES/EGC, OES/IET AND EAP/MTS DEPT ALSO PASS TO DEPT OF COMMERCE/NOAA/RSPINRAD/REPPI BANGKOK FOR USAID/RDMA E.O. 12598: N/A TAGS: EAID TPHY ECON PREL ID SUBJECT: NOAA ASST. ADMINISTRATOR SPINRAD'S VISIT TO INDONESIA ¶1. (U) Summary. Assistant Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR),Richard Spinrad, participated in a series of meetings on tsunami monitoring, climate change, and future collaboration on September 17-21 in Jakarta and Banda Aceh. Dr. Spinrad signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DKP) on scientific cooperation and a Letter of Intent on the use of Indonesian research vessels with the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) and the Marine and Fisheries Research Agency (BRKP). Dr. Spinrad and Ambassador Hume presided over the launch of the second Deep-Ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART II) buoy provided to the Indian Ocean region under the USAID Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System (IOTWS) program in a ceremony in Jakarta on SIPDIS September 19. End Summary. -------------- --- NOAA AND DKP SIGN MOU ON SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION -------------- --- ¶2. (U) In a ceremony at DKP on September 18, Dr. Spinrad signed a MOU on scientific collaboration with Dr. Widi Agoes Praktikto, Secretary General of DKP. During the ceremony, Praktikto explained SIPDIS that DKP was short on human resources in its marine sector and would appreciate assistance under the Sea Grant program for training and extension services. He added that DKP would like to cooperate further with the U.S. to ensure that Indonesian aquaculture meets U.S. regulatory standards. Praktikto indicated that Government of Indonesia (GOI) officials were still debating the implementation of the Coastal Zone and Small Islands Act, and that DKP would appreciate assistance and U.S. expertise on the sustainable management of small islands and coastal zones. Dr. Spinrad replied that NOAA could follow up the MOU with cooperative activities in these areas in the future. Praktikto explained that DKP plans to create a new Director-General position specifically for international cooperation. -------------- - DART/ATLAS BUOYS LAUNCHED IN JAKARTA CEREMONY -------------- - ¶3. (U) On September 19, Ambassador Hume and Dr. Spinrad presided over the launch ceremony for a DART II buoy, the joint U.S.-Indonesia contribution to the USAID-funded IOTWS. The launch included four additional ATLAS climate-monitoring buoys, which BPPT will maintain. Chairman Said Jenie of BPPT officiated. The ceremony took place on board the Indonesian research vessel Baruna Jaya III, which will take the buoys to their monitoring locations off the coast of Sumatra. During the ceremony, Dr. Spinrad, Chairman Said, and Dr. Indroyono Soesilo, Chairman of the Agency for Marine and Fisheries Research signed a Letter of Intent on the use of Indonesian ship time in exchange for future NOAA collaboration and knowledge-sharing. Immediately following the ceremony, BPPT held a press conference on the deck of the Baruna Jaya III. Local and international media, including CNN, reported the story. -------------- -------------- DART II SUCCESS DRIVES REQUESTS FOR MORE COLLABORATION -------------- -------------- ¶4. (U) State Ministry of Research and Technology (RISTEK) officials praised the launch of the DART II buoy, citing its importance to improving Indonesia's tsunami-monitoring capabilities. RISTEK plans to implement an Indonesian tsunami warning system by the end of 2008 and requested U.S. help in building their technical capacity. Indonesian Meteorological Agency (BMG) scientists and BPPT officials also requested future collaboration with NOAA. -------------- -------------- STATUS OF THE INDONESIA TSUNAMI EARLY WARNING SYSTEM -------------- -------------- ¶5. (U) Deputy Minister for the Utilization and Dissemination of Science and Technology Suhardi and Assistant to the Deputy Minister for Analysis of Science and Technology Needs Pariatmono of RISTEK stated that while progress in development of the Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System (INA-TEWS) is adequate, more work remains before the system's planned launch in December 2008. RISTEK has installed over 160 seismometers and accelerometers, nine tide JAKARTA 00002712 002 OF 003 stations, and 120 Radio and Internet for the Communication of Hydro-Meteorological and Climate Related Information (RANET) local communications systems. While there is progress on tsunami-detecting buoy development, neither the German nor SIPDIS Indonesian buoy systems are currently operational. The U.S. DART II buoy launched on September 19 and its companion launched in December 2006 remain the only operational Indian Ocean tsunami detection systems. RISTEK also stressed the importance of community preparedness as integral to the INA-TEWS success. ¶6. (U) BMG reported satisfaction with its performance during the Bengkulu earthquake on September 12 and 13. BMG issued tsunami warnings within five minutes of the quake start based on the earthquake's strength and location to the areas a tsunami would most likely affect. In its report to NOAA, BMG stated it received tsunami notification from NOAA's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center SIPDIS (PTWC),but it was not clear whether or how BMG used PTWC products. This is consistent with Indonesia's concern that the international community views it as a capable operator of its own tsunami warning system. -------------- PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT -------------- ¶7. (SBU) NOAA met with the President of Conoco-Phillips Indonesia, Trond-Erik Johansen, on September 20 to discuss possible collaboration on a public-private partnership to help implement an Indonesian tsunami warning system. Johansen indicated that Conoco-Phillips would be interested in participating in a partnership, adding that the program is attractive because it is proactive and that it should include capacity-building components. NOAA and Embassy Jakarta will draft a proposal for Conoco-Phillips to review by mid-October. Johansen also expressed interest in possible cooperative research and development opportunities with NOAA, such as using Conoco-Phillips offshore sites as platforms for climate and ocean observation systems. The Conoco-Phillips meeting followed previous meetings in May and July with other potential donors. Interest remains high in a public-private partnership. -------------- CLIMATE CHANGE DISCUSSIONS AND PRIORITIES -------------- ¶8. (U) Prior to the NOAA-DKP MOU signing ceremony on September 18, Dr. Spinrad and Ambassador Hume met with DKP Minister Numberi, who raised the Coral Triangle Initiative and stressed that there is a need for immediate action to prepare for the impacts of climate change and rising sea levels. He also highlighted the need for Indonesian technical capacity building to address climate change. Spinrad explained that the international community should address ocean acidification in any discussion on coral reefs. Both Spinrad and Numberi stressed the importance of cooperation and that ocean data is key for climate forecasts and dealing with climate change. Minister Numberi added that Indonesia needs help with education and awareness on climate change. He stated that there will be a side event at COP-13 on the World Oceans Conference, scheduled for 2009 in Manado. ¶9. (U) In a meeting with the Ministry of Environment (MOE) on September 19, Deputy Minister Masnellyarti Hilman identified the agriculture and fisheries sectors as the ministry's top climate service priorities. Hilman explained that lack of funding has led to gaps in MOE and BMG's abilities to map and monitor weather patterns and climate change, which leads to delays in identifying, responding, and communicating during disasters. MOE identified a need to gain more immediate access to data, to improve the use of that data to aid in guiding climate predication and climate change adaptation, and to educate local governments and communities on how to use weather and climate data. NOAA recommended a workshop with MOE to discuss collaboration, identification of mutually important needs for climate services and information sharing. ¶10. (U) On September 20, Dr. Spinrad hosted a roundtable discussion on climate change with local NGOs, academics and GOI officials. The group discussed climate change and weather data standards and monitoring, the role of NOAA, and potential collaboration in Indonesia. Meeting participants stated that President Yudhoyono has requested Indonesian climate change experts to develop a national JAKARTA 00002712 003 OF 003 climate change action plan to present at the upcoming Conference of Parties (COP) meeting in Bali in December. The plan will include both mitigation and adaptation plans. Meeting participants were skeptical as to whether Indonesia could develop a good climate change roadmap without accurate climate data. -------------- INDONESIA - REALLY THE NUMBER THREE EMITTER? -------------- ¶11. (U) In several climate change discussions, GOI officials questioned Indonesia's number three ranking on the list of the world's highest greenhouse gas emitters. Meeting participants cited a BMG study that found carbon levels in the country to be below the world average. Dr. Spinrad emphasized the importance of consistent and standardized data and shared information on NOAA's new Carbon Tracker tool to measure carbon sources and sinks around the world. He thanked Indonesia for its sustained contribution to the global carbon dioxide monitoring program and stressed the value of increased observations. -------------- -- IMPROVED COMMUNICATION THE FOCUS OF ACEH VISIT -------------- -- ¶12. (U) Dr. Spinrad visited the Banda Aceh region of Sumatra on September 21. He met with the local BMG representative, officials from the Governor's office, representatives from both Aceh's disaster response committee (SATKORLAK) and the American Red Cross, and toured some of the areas most affected by the December 2004 tsunami. Meeting participants stressed the importance of improving SIPDIS communication, specifically between Aceh and Jakarta, to mitigate and respond to disasters. HEFFERN