Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Freddy Numberi renewed calls on world leaders to pay serious attention to ocean issues when negotiating emissions cuts to help combat climate change.
“There is no reason to neglect ocean in discussions about emissions cut target as the ocean has also capability to absorb the carbon,” he told reporters.
He said that total of carbon absorbed in ocean should be calculated under the clean development mechanism (CDM).
The CDM was part of the Kyoto Protocol commitment allowing developing countries to develop projects aimed to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
In turn, developed nations should provide financial incentives based on total emissions reduction.
Freddy said that Indonesia’s ocean could absorb about 67 million carbon per year or equal with 245.5 million tons of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) per year.
The CO2 was main contributor on global warming causing climate change. Under Kyoto, only carbon from energy combustion eligible for carbon trading.
Freddy, however, invited the world’s researchers to determine whether ocean could be a carbon sink and sources.
Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, 1 May 2009. Article.
