Views on Environment for POTUS Visit from Indonesia

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JAKARTA 001421 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR P, SECC, EAP/MTS, AND OES E.O. 12598: N/A TAGS: SENV KGHG ENRG TSPL PREL PGOV ID SUBJECT: Views on Environment for POTUS Visit from Indonesia Presidential Palace REF: Jakarta 1352 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Indonesia Presidential Advisor on Environment Emil Salim and Secretary to the Coordinating Minister of Social Welfare Indroyono Soesilo strongly advocate an ambitious agenda for the upcoming POTUS visit, including: -- Fisheries-based food security initiative through establishing a Joint Institute on Sustainable Ocean Fisheries (concept description septel) -- New international and domestic forestry and peat initiatives -- Concluding the S&T agreement -- Finishing permit approvals for NOAA's Okeanos Explorer visit as the first concrete S&T item -- Addressing technical capacity shortfalls and pricing advice on geothermal and renewable energy -- Potential GOI counterparts for a Bi-national Commission on Environment Management and Climate Change. Post will continue exploring these ideas with Indonesian counterparts. ¶2. (SBU) The DCM met separately with Salim and Soesilo August 25 and 26, respectively. Salim and Soesilo noted that the GOI has focused heavily on climate adaptation given expectations that Copenhagen will fail to produce an international agreement. Salim noted that any U.S. partnership should feature science cooperation and technical capacity building, given U.S. expertise and Indonesian needs to address the environment. He welcomed President Obama's on science exchange and linkages, noting that this provides an opportunity to highlight how Islam can bring peaceful benefits to the global community. Soesilo expressed enthusiasm to champion cooperation on new fisheries initiatives and committed to lobbying senior officials in the GOI to quickly finalize the S&T agreement. End Summary. Food Security/Climate Adaptation - a Fisheries Institute -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Salim commented that Indonesia is bracing for a poor outcome at Copenhagen this December. However, Indonesia and the United States could make progress on climate change adaptation, which has been the neglected step-child next to mitigation. For example, Salim pointed out Indonesia's marine biodiversity is intimately tied to its food security, but few are focused on oceans and fisheries despite the potential impacts of climate change. The DCM recalled Indonesia's leadership in the World Ocean Conference (WOC) and Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI),in which adaptation and food security were key themes. Salim stated that fisheries-based food security would be a practical area of cooperation on climate change adaptation given that Indonesia hosts the world's greatest marine biodiversity and 65% of its population relies on oceans for their livelihoods. Salim agreed that scientific collaboration based out of a joint institute on sustainable ocean fisheries has the potential for joint presidential endorsement during the POTUS visit. ¶4. (SBU) Soesilo, a 20-year veteran of the fisheries and natural resource ministries, embraced the concept and committed to explore the initiative. He suggested consideration of housing such a new joint collaboration where Indonesia has existing facilities, and where transportation is relatively convenient so that the platform could promote international cooperation. As an initial step, he offered to personally lead a fact-finding mission for the Embassy. He outlined potential sites in Bali where Indonesia has already established an oceans observation center on three hectares of land and a separate "world class" fisheries institute with participation from scientists from Japan, Australia and Denmark focusing on culturing of fish species, including grouper and tuna. He also urged a USG team to come to Indonesia to explore the opportunities and also committed to sending an Indonesian team to the U.S. to work on the specifics of a joint institute. U.S. Support for Oceans in Copenhagen Draft -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Salim also noted that through the CTI and WOC, Indonesia has championed the inclusion of oceans into the international climate discussion as a fundamental component. Soesilo requested that the U.S. support the inclusion in the final Copenhagen document of no fewer than the currently drafted 22 paragraphs that refer to oceans. Forests and Peat - More Support Needed -------------- JAKARTA 00001421 002 OF 003 6.(SBU) Regarding the question of what Indonesia coud do in advance on Copenhagen to reduce carbon eissions, Salim suggested that the U.S. support th idea that Indonesia take a leadership position o create a "Peat 5," similar to the "Forest 11" nternational sub-group. The purpose, he explained is to focus attention on the importance of peatin global GHG mitigation and ultimately bring ecoomic value to peat so that countries would protet critical peat lands. The DCM asked if PresidentYudhoyono could announce a new direction of limiing plantation crops in Indonesia to only previosly degraded land. He said this is possible but hat President Yudhoyono would need to be acclimate to the idea, as well as to the "Peat 5" idea. e added that a U.S. supp ort of the idea expresse directly to President Yudhoyono would help. . (SBU) Salim urged U.S. contribution to the forestpeat partnership to take the form of scientific nd technical assistance - Indonesia does not have a single peat expert. Salim said all this could lead to broader global cooperation during the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations in Copenhagen this December, and beyond. ¶8. (SBU) Both Salim and Soesilo agreed that there would be value in replicating the recently concluded Tropical Forest Conservation Act (TFCA) agreement for Sumatra in other places in Indonesia, like Papua. Salim pointed out that Papua has a champion of the environment in its governor, which makes successful environment cooperation possible. He also mentioned Kalimantan as another possible site. Soesilo saw potential in a second TFCA in that it could be a relatively uncomplicated undertaking. Science Capacity Building, S&T Agreement, Okeanos, IUC -------------- -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Salim stressed that Indonesia needs extensive scientific research and capacity building to address both long-term adaptation and mitigation challenges. Salim admitted that Indonesia has too little technical capacity to adequately undertake coastal vulnerability assessments and infrastructure planning for climate change. "You [the U.S.] have the brains," Salim acknowledged, and reiterated the importance of education and scientific exchange as a component of the Indonesia-U.S. Comprehensive Partnership. The more of this, the better, because of Indonesia's immense need for more engineers, more scientists -- the human resources essential to prepare the country for climate change. ¶10. (SBU) Regarding the bilateral science and technology agreement currently under negotiation, Soesilo noted that it would be shameful for the umbrella agreement to be held hostage by any of the remaining three areas of contention: IPR, Material Transfer Agreement (MTA),and taxation. Soesilo pointed out that the science community in Indonesia recognizes the benefits of cooperation and desperately wants to deepen joint activities. During the meeting with the DCM, he stopped briefly to contact the Minister of Research and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to urge finalization of the agreement. The DCM noted that the issuance of the research permit in advance of the POTUS visit for NOAA's Okeanos Explorer could be the first substantial item of cooperation under an umbrella S&T agreement. Soesilo noted that the Indonesian cabinet agreed in principle to the visit of the Okeanos, and that there should be no insurmountable issues, even security-related. He asked to be kept informed of the progress. The DCM also updated Soesilo regarding the status of negotiations with the Ministry of Health regarding NAMRU-2 and the establishment of the Indonesia-U.S. Joint Medical Research Center (IUC). Renewable Energy - Geothermal -------------- ¶11. (SBU) Salim also welcomed USG assistance on identifying obstacles to developing renewable energy, particularly geothermal. He noted this sector as central to Indonesian's priority to reduce reliance on coal and its associated GHG emissions. The DCM mentioned that the Department of Energy, U.S. Export-Import Bank and Trade Development Authority are seriously looking at how to support geothermal development in Indonesia, and provided a detailed e-mail update of activities subsequent to the meeting. Future Coordination through a Bi-National Commission -------------- -------------- ¶12. (SBU) Salim appreciated the wide array of USG activities on environment and science in Indonesia. A bi-national, interagency commission that met regularly to advance our environmental and JAKARTA 00001421 003 OF 003 climate cooperation -- both bilaterally and internationally -- could be useful. He advised that if climate is the focus, the National Climate Change Council (NCCC) would be the natural counterpart. However, he cautioned that the NCCC is plagued by a serious lack of technical capacity. If project execution is the focus, the National Planning Agency (Bappenas) would be a better counterpart because it has leverage over other ministries and agencies in Indonesia. Similarly, Soesilo noted that NCCC is fine for discussions related to Copenhagen, but that NCCC and Bappenas together would make for more robust environment cooperation. He explained that the NCCC structure features President Yudhoyono as chair with an Executive Council of Ministers, including Bappenas, at the second level. The Executive Chairman is Rachmat Witoler in his personal capacity, so the next Environment Minister will not occupy that seat. HUME