Indonesia has revised up its carbon emission reduction targets, pledging more effective land use and better energy policy to cut greenhouse gas emissions more than its 2015 Paris Agreement commitment, a minister said on Tuesday.

 

Indonesia is one of the world's biggest carbon emitters, with much of its pollution coming from forest and peatland clearance.

 

The government has set a new target to cut emission levels by 31.89% on its own or 43.2% with international support by 2030. That is more ambitious than its Paris Agreement pledge, which was to cut emissions by 29% or 41% with international help, its chief economic minister Airlangga Hartarto said.

 

The targets came ahead of next month's annual United Nations climate conference in Egypt, known as COP27, and as Indonesia prepares to host the G20 leaders summit in mid-November on the island of Bali.

 

"Indonesia has a commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2060 or sooner and that target must not slip away," Airlangga said in a statement.

 

The minister did not explain how Indonesia would try to reach the new climate goals, but underlined efforts in recent years to develop the electric vehicle industry and set up a carbon trading scheme as measures that would help.

 

In a Sept. 23 document presented to the U.N., Indonesia said it would reduce emissions among others "through effective land use, spatial planning, the promotion of clean energy and sustainable forest management".

 

Some moves to reduce its pollution have included working towards phasing out coal power plants, stopping permit issuance for clearing primary forests, and replanting mangroves along the archipelago's coastlines.

 

However, it has also faced setbacks. A plan to start levying carbon tax this April has been delayed due to high global energy prices.

 

The International Renewable Agency (IRENA) in a report last week said Indonesia needs to invest $332 billion in energy transition technologies and $80 billion in grid infrastructure development by 2030 to significantly raise the renewable portion of its energy mix, from just 14% currently. (Reuters)