UNCLAS JAKARTA 000399

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/MTS AND OES/STC/EKANE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV TPHY TBIO TRGY ENRG ID
SUBJECT: EMBASSY JAKARTA PROPOSAL FOR SCIENCE FELLOWS

REF: A) SECSTATE 10843

SUBJECT OF PROPOSAL AND GENERAL INFORMATION
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1. (U) Embassy Jakarta is interested in the Embassy Science Fellow
Program (ESFP) and requests Department assistance in identifying up
to two interested candidates focused on marine and fisheries issues,
with specific interest in the Coral Triangle Initiative, and climate
change. These fellows would work with the Ministry of Marine
Affairs and Fisheries, and with the Ministry of Environment and the
National Climate Change Council, respectively. We would prefer to
host a fellow(s) for 90 days, which would require a medical
clearance. Security clearance is not required, but is preferred.

PROPOSAL DESCRIPTION
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2. (U) Embassy Jakarta proposes that the two fellows work on two
distinct areas of interest: the Coral Triangle Initiative and
partnering with the Government of Indonesia (GOI) on climate change,
both detailed below:

-- Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) - Indonesia will host the first
World Ocean Conference (WOC) May 11-15, 2009 to highlight the
relationship between climate change and the oceans. The first CTI
Summit of leaders from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua
New Guinea, East Timor, and the Solomon Islands (plus two partner
countries, the U.S. and Australia) will take place at the same time.
The Summit will officially launch a CTI regional plan of action to
safeguard the region's extraordinary marine and coastal biological
resources. A science Qllow would pick up where this process left
off by working with the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and
Fisheries (MMAF) and the Indonesian CTI Secretariat to identify
opportunities for partnership in areas of mutual interest such as
marine protected areas and ecosystem-based fisheries management.
NOAA would be the ideal agency for this project because it has an
existing MOU with the MMAF. NOAA also plans to heavily participate
in the WOC.

-- Climate Change - Both the U.S. and Indonesia have made climate
change a priority. Secretary Clinton recently visited Indonesia,
accompanied by the U.S. Climate Change Envoy, Todd Stern. Indonesia
has recently established a National Climate Change Council (NCCC),
chaired by the Minister of the Environment, to coordinate climate
change policies and programs. A fellow from the EPA would be well
suited to develop relationships with the NCCC, and identify
opportunities for partnership on specific initiatives such as
Methane-to-Markets, clean technology for reducing emissions, or
joint research on climate change impacts and adaptation measures, to
name a few.

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
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3. (U) Embassy Jakarta would provide logistical support for up to
two prospective Fellows under the ESFP guidelines. We would provide
secure office space on the embassy compound with appropriate
computer, email and internet access. We will provide housing subject
to availability for the specific dates proposed by the program. The
Fellows would also have access to the Embassy Health Unit (pending
appropriate medical clearances), FPO and CLO. Embassy Jakarta's
preferred timeline is a Fall 2009 arrival, Winter 2009 departure.

RSO CONCURRENCE
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4. (U) Embassy Jakarta is not an unaccompanied post. RSO has
supported past Science Fellow assignments to Indonesia and supports
the continuation of this program.


CONTACT INFORMATION
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5. (U) The State Department point of contact for this proposal is
Colette Marcellin, Environment, Science, Technology, and Health
(ESTH) Officer. She can be contacted by email at
marcellinca@state.gov, by phone at +62.21.3435.9069, and by fax at
+62.21.3435.9971. Ms. Marcellin will leave Post in July. Colette's
back-up is Machut Shishak, Environment and ASEAN Officer. He can be
reached by email at shishakma@state.gov, by phone at
+62.21.3435.9229, and by fax at +62.21.3435.9971.

HUME