Minister of Forestry Zulkifli Hasan is optimistic that in 2020 Indonesia will be free from carbon emission. This target is considered realistic because the government has made forest rehabilitation efforts. Â
Zulkifli explained that the government would rehabilitate no less than 500 hectares of forests, including community forests, village forests and community plantation forests. “The target is carbon emission-free by 2010, as long as this can be reached with a surplus of carbon absorption up to 1.3 giga tons,†said Zulkifli after opening a seminar to celebrate the 46th Anniversary of Faculty of Forestry, UGM, Monday (7/12).
Zulkifli added that those forests will be rehabilitated jointly, supported by reforestation fund which reaches an amount of 3 billion rupiah per year. Rehabilitation will also be conducted to the 500,000 hectares in the Forest Concessionaire restored by national and international communities. “This is added by the 400,000 hectares of Industrial Plantation Forest, which is critical bare land, that will be supported by the private sector."
Meanwhile, related to the 100 days program of the new government, his ministry is also auditing forested areas to ensure the size of damaged areas that need restoration. If the data mapping can be collected accurately, many national and international stakeholders will be likely to join the restoration work.
In his visit to open the seminar entitled “Community Forest Tackles Climate Changeâ€, an issue among UGM's anniversary agenda this year, the minister planted dammar tree in front of the Graduate Program campus, Faculty of Forestry. Other senior officials from the ministry, UGM Rector and others also planted trees.