Govt needs to reevaluate forest concessions in Kalimantan
Friday, February 3 2012 - 01:57 AM WIB
The non-governmental organization Greenpeace Indonesia hailed the government decision to allocate 45 percent of Kalimantan island for biodiversity conservations and protected forest aimed as the ?lung? for the world to protect the planet.
Greenpeace however, warned that such target could be realized only if the government reviewed all permits of forest uses which have been awarded to among others oil palm plantation and mining sector across the Kalimantan provinces.
?We support political commitment from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (to protect Kalimantan), but such commitment should be realized in the field. The government should review all forest permits in Kalimantan to realize the commitment,? Greenpeace Indonesia?s forest campaigner Muhnur said
The realization of 45 percent of Kalimantan as ?the world lung? could also help the government to meet its target to slash down 26 percent of the country's greenhouse gas emission to deal with the climate change.
The mapping analysis of Greenpeace Indonesia shows Kalimantan has the total area of about 53,7 million hectares of which 52 percent was categorized as forest area.
The analysis however finds about 16.6 percent of the island's forest area had been converted into the forest concessions for the productive forest concession (HPH), industrial forest concession (HTI), oil palm plantation, coal mining and the overlapping permits.
?If the government commits to protect 45 percent of Kalimantan island for biodiversity conservation, overlapping permits with forest and peatland areas should be revised soon; otherwise it would be difficult for the government to meet the target,? Greenpeace said.
President issued a presidential regulation no 3/2012 on special planning of Kalimantan island allocating about 45 percent of the island for biodiversity conservations and protected forest.
The regulation says the remaining area of the Kalimantan would be developed among others as the country?s mining center for mineral, coal, oil and gas as well as for plantations. Kalimantan would also be the center for the food storage houses / barns for the country to meet the food self-sufficiency.
The regulation said that the government would develop a number of power plants using new and renewable energy sources such as coal-fired power plants, gas-fired power plant (PLTGU), and gasified coal fired power plant (PLTGB) and gas fired engine power plant (PLTMG) in Kalimantan.
The government would also develop hydro power plants (PLTA), mini-hydro power plant (PLTM) and solar power plant (PLTS).
The regulation says the Kalimantan would also be developed as the national center for downstream industries of mineral, coal, oil and gas products which would be located in Balikpapan, Tenggarong, Samarinda, Bontang and Tarakan.
The processing activities for mineral, coal, gas and oil products are designed to be centered in Muara Teweh, Tanjung Redeb, Sangata, Nunukan, Tanjung Selor, Malinau and Tanah Grogot.
Editing by David Mustakim