I always think that people of Norway and other Scandinavian countries are very cool people because of their geographical location on the northern part of the globe.
That's why I was shocked when I heard the news about the bombing in Norwegian capital Oslo followed by the shooting on the Island of Utoya last Friday that killed at least 91 people.
According to USA Today, the gunman - Anders Behring Breivik (32) Norwegian with Christian fundamentalist and anti-Islamic views, disguised as a Police officer beckoned his victims closer before shooting them one by one, claiming at least 84 lives, in a horrific killing spree on an island teeming with teenagers who were attending the ruling Labor Party Youth Wing Summer Camp on the Island of Utoya (20 miles from Oslo).
The shooting happened few hours after a bomb blast ripped through a high rise building housing a.o the Prime Minister's office, killing seven people.
Police have arrested only one suspect and said he is linked to both the shootings and the Oslo explosion
The governments of many countries, including Indonesia, have condemned the cold blooded shooting and bombing.
My deepest sympathy and condolence for the families of the victims. I hope that the Norwegian Police would be able to find out who's responsible and what's the motive for this barbaric action.
Showing posts with label Norway. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Norway. Show all posts
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
The Two Years Forest Moratorium
President SBY last Thursday signed a Presidential decree No. 10/2011, authorizing a two year moratorium on new logging concession, under a billion dollar concession with Norway.
This decree is an implementation of an agreement signed by Indonesia and Norway on May last year, in which Indonesia promised to carry out a moratorium (halt) on the cutting of forest and peatlands for two years in exchange for $1 billion in funding from Norway, under a UN-backed scheme designed to pay developing countries to preserve forests.
However, this moratorium is only for new forest licenses, and will exempt permits already given in principle by the Forestry Ministry and extensions of existing permits, as well as projects to develop supplies of energy, rice and sugar.
This decree was welcomed by the Norwegian government who said that the moratorium is one important step forward for Indonesia
But it was protested by the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (Gapki) who felt that the decree would restrict business activities.
While green activists said the moratorium would only be applicable to 64 million hectares of the country’s 132 million hectare forest coverage.
In spite of the pro and contra, I hope that the Indonesian government would carry out the moratorium i.e stop cutting forests and peatlands in the next two year as it promised
This decree is an implementation of an agreement signed by Indonesia and Norway on May last year, in which Indonesia promised to carry out a moratorium (halt) on the cutting of forest and peatlands for two years in exchange for $1 billion in funding from Norway, under a UN-backed scheme designed to pay developing countries to preserve forests.
However, this moratorium is only for new forest licenses, and will exempt permits already given in principle by the Forestry Ministry and extensions of existing permits, as well as projects to develop supplies of energy, rice and sugar.
This decree was welcomed by the Norwegian government who said that the moratorium is one important step forward for Indonesia
But it was protested by the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (Gapki) who felt that the decree would restrict business activities.
While green activists said the moratorium would only be applicable to 64 million hectares of the country’s 132 million hectare forest coverage.
In spite of the pro and contra, I hope that the Indonesian government would carry out the moratorium i.e stop cutting forests and peatlands in the next two year as it promised
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
How is the Forest Moratorium ?
On 26 May 2010, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudoyono (SBY) and Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg withnessed an agreement in Oslo under which Norway will invest in US$ 1 Billion forest conservation projects in Indonesia.
In return, Indonesia will suspend for two years new concessions for the conversion of peat and natural forests lands.
Part of the money will be spent on creating monitoring systems and pilot projects under as U.N backed forest preservation scheme called Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) which allows developing countries to earn money by not cutting down trees and preserving Carbon-rich peat lands, seen as a key to slow climate change because forest soak up huge amounts of greenhouse gases.
To implement the deal, Indonesia must set up a new government agency that will prioritize and coordinate REDD projects.
On 30 December 2010, President SBY announced that the Province of Central Kalimantan has been selected as a pilot REDD province, however he has not sign a decree that will make the forest moratorium legally binding.
But until February 2011, President SBY has still not sign a presidential decree that would serve as a legal instrument to stop the conversion of forest land into commercial plantations and mining area.
In return, Indonesia will suspend for two years new concessions for the conversion of peat and natural forests lands.
Part of the money will be spent on creating monitoring systems and pilot projects under as U.N backed forest preservation scheme called Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) which allows developing countries to earn money by not cutting down trees and preserving Carbon-rich peat lands, seen as a key to slow climate change because forest soak up huge amounts of greenhouse gases.
To implement the deal, Indonesia must set up a new government agency that will prioritize and coordinate REDD projects.
On 30 December 2010, President SBY announced that the Province of Central Kalimantan has been selected as a pilot REDD province, however he has not sign a decree that will make the forest moratorium legally binding.
But until February 2011, President SBY has still not sign a presidential decree that would serve as a legal instrument to stop the conversion of forest land into commercial plantations and mining area.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Moratorium on Deforestration
In order to stop the destruction, on 27 May Indonesia and Norway signed an agreement whereby Indonesia pledged a two years Moratorium on Deforestation, and Norway will pay US$ 1 Billion in return.
To ensure the implementation of said agreement, the government has taken necessary steps to stop the new cutting of forest trees, among others by stop giving new licenses.
Beside that, steps has also been taken to reduce criticism on the massive deforestration in Indonesia, i.e. by denying the entrance of Greenpeace's ship Rainbow Warrior into Indonesian territory. This is obvious because Greenpeace has been criticizing Indonesia for massive destruction of forest and peatlands to make way for Palm Oil plantations.
I hope that the government would always set and implement forestation policy based on the interests of the Indonesian people. Therefore illegal and massive cuttings of forest trees must be stopped, and ensure that protected forests would not be violated, with or without other countries' assistance.
For details, please read the following articles :
- Indonesia puts Moratorium on New Forest Clearing (Reuter)
- Rainbow Warrior denied entry to Indonesia : Greenpeace (AFP)
Photo: Courtesy of Flickr.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Moratorium on Deforestration
Last month President Susilo Bambang Yudoyono (SBY) announced a two-year moratorium on Deforestation starting 2011 in exchange for a US$ 1 Billion aid from Norway.
Unfortunately, no one knows how will the moratorium be enforced considering that illegal logging is rampant and official figures about deforestation is doubtful.
Please find below an article about this that I have quoted from Kompas.
Unfortunately, no one knows how will the moratorium be enforced considering that illegal logging is rampant and official figures about deforestation is doubtful.
Please find below an article about this that I have quoted from Kompas.
SBY: Indonesia Has 'Trust Deficit'
Jumat, 11 Juni 2010 | 08:18 WIB
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Indonesian
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday acknowledged his country lacked credibility, as it seeks billions of dollars in foreign aid to battle climate change.
He said Indonesia suffered a “trust deficit“ in the international community that was hampering its ability to win backing for initiatives such as a moratorium on deforestation and cuts to greenhouse gas emissions.
“This is the reason for reform. We can turn the trust deficit into a trust surplus. Let's be sure that the institutions in this country are credible,“ he said in his opening remarks to a weekly cabinet meeting.
Indonesia is one of the top emitters of climate-warming gases blamed for rising global temperatures, largely through deforestation due to illegal logging and clearing for palm oil plantations.
Yudhoyono shocked environmentalists and palm planters alike last month when he announced a two-year moratorium on deforestation from 2011 in exchange for $1 billion in aid from Norway. But no one knows how the moratorium will be enforced in a country where experts say illegal logging is rampant and the government's figures about deforestation rates and forest cover are seen as wildly inaccurate.
“All institutions in this country must be credible so that there are no obstacles when we seek cooperation with friendly countries and the international community,“ Yudhoyono said, referring to the pact with Norway.
I ask (ministers) not to be discouraged, not to be angry, that frankly the international community does not fully trust the institutions in many developing countries including ours.“
Norway will offer aid from 2014 but only as long as Indonesia has made verifiable progress in halting deforestation. The verifiability of such initiatives is crucial to broader U.N.-backed efforts to link developed-world climate change funds to forest conservation in developing countries like Indonesia.
“If there is no reduced deforestation, we will not pay. If there is reduced deforestation, we will pay,“ Norwegian Prime Minister Stoltenberg told a press conference in Oslo as the moratorium was announced last month.
The U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates deforestation is responsible for 17% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
“This is the reason for reform. We can turn the trust deficit into a trust surplus. Let's be sure that the institutions in this country are credible,“ he said in his opening remarks to a weekly cabinet meeting.
Indonesia is one of the top emitters of climate-warming gases blamed for rising global temperatures, largely through deforestation due to illegal logging and clearing for palm oil plantations.
Yudhoyono shocked environmentalists and palm planters alike last month when he announced a two-year moratorium on deforestation from 2011 in exchange for $1 billion in aid from Norway. But no one knows how the moratorium will be enforced in a country where experts say illegal logging is rampant and the government's figures about deforestation rates and forest cover are seen as wildly inaccurate.
“All institutions in this country must be credible so that there are no obstacles when we seek cooperation with friendly countries and the international community,“ Yudhoyono said, referring to the pact with Norway.
I ask (ministers) not to be discouraged, not to be angry, that frankly the international community does not fully trust the institutions in many developing countries including ours.“
Norway will offer aid from 2014 but only as long as Indonesia has made verifiable progress in halting deforestation. The verifiability of such initiatives is crucial to broader U.N.-backed efforts to link developed-world climate change funds to forest conservation in developing countries like Indonesia.
“If there is no reduced deforestation, we will not pay. If there is reduced deforestation, we will pay,“ Norwegian Prime Minister Stoltenberg told a press conference in Oslo as the moratorium was announced last month.
The U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates deforestation is responsible for 17% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Cancellation of Forestry Permits
During his visit to Oslo last week, President Susilo Bambang Yudoyono reached an agreement with the Norwegian government in which the latter promised to provide Indonesia with US$ 1 Billion in grant if it stop deforestation.
In this connection, Reuter (below) reported that Indonesia shall cancel forestry permits that have been issued to Palm Oil and Timber companies, and shall not issue new permits in the next two years.
I hope that it would not be very difficult for Indonesia to keep this promise.
Indonesia to scrap permits to save forests-official
By Sunanda Creagh
JAKARTA May 31 (Reuters) - Indonesia will revoke existing forestry licences held by palm oil and timber firms to save natural forests under a $1 billion climate change deal signed with Norway last week, a government official said on Monday.
Indonesia's president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who announced the deal last week in Oslo, said new concessions for the conversion of natural forest and peatlands would be suspended for two years. But he did not say at the time how existing concessions would be affected. [ID:nJAK326556].
Preserving forests is seen as crucial to slowing climate change because trees absorb enormous amounts of greenhouse gases.
Indonesia has huge tracts of tropical forests but a rapid deforestation rate. It has pledged to cut emissions by 2020 to 26 percent lower than the level if no action were taken or 41 percent lower if it is able to secure foreign funding and other assistance, like technology.
Part of the $1 billion promised by Norway will be spent on compensating businesses that have existing concessions cancelled in order to keep forests standing, said Agus Purnomo, head of the secretariat of Indonesia's National Climate Change Council.
"When you revoke licences, when you cancel things, it involves money," Purnomo told Reuters by telephone.
"It's not that we will cancel all licences but (only) if there is a need to do so" to keep primary forest intact, he said.
Compensation to permit holders could include cash, land swaps or other "amicable, workable and realistic solutions", he said.
Palm oil firms such as Wilmar (WLIL.SI) and Indofood Agri Resources (IFAR.SI) have ambitious expansion plans in Indonesia, already the largest producer of an oil used to make products ranging from chocolate to soap.
Palm oil and pulp and paper firms are most likely to be affected, said Purnomo.
"But I am not ruling out any possibility. The spirit of the agreement was to save the remaining natural forest and peatland and we will do whatever humanly possibly to make it happen, within the legal context of Indonesia," he said.
"If we have to go through cancellations in the court system, we will do it."
Permit holders will find out within six months if their concessions will be honoured, he said.
"Some of them don't have a valid permit, they are just making a claim," said Purnomo. "If they don't have a valid permit, we are not going to compensate. If they are getting it through bribery, we are not going to give" compensation.
A text of the Oslo agreement, seen by Reuters, suggests that the moratorium on new concessions for conversion of peat and natural forests will not be implemented until 2011. The document said that the deal will be broken into two phases.
The first phase, which runs until the end of 2010, focuses mainly on preparing and implementing pilot projects under a U.N.-backed forest preservation scheme called reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD).
REDD allows developing nations to earn money by not chopping down their forests.
The second phase of the deal, running from 2011 to 2013, will focus on REDD, law enforcement and capacity building.
The commitment to a two-year suspension on all new concessions for conversion of peat and natural forests is listed in phase two, suggesting it does not come into effect until 2011. (Editing by Sara Webb and Sugita Katyal)
In this connection, Reuter (below) reported that Indonesia shall cancel forestry permits that have been issued to Palm Oil and Timber companies, and shall not issue new permits in the next two years.
I hope that it would not be very difficult for Indonesia to keep this promise.
Indonesia to scrap permits to save forests-official
By Sunanda Creagh
JAKARTA May 31 (Reuters) - Indonesia will revoke existing forestry licences held by palm oil and timber firms to save natural forests under a $1 billion climate change deal signed with Norway last week, a government official said on Monday.
Indonesia's president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who announced the deal last week in Oslo, said new concessions for the conversion of natural forest and peatlands would be suspended for two years. But he did not say at the time how existing concessions would be affected. [ID:nJAK326556].
Preserving forests is seen as crucial to slowing climate change because trees absorb enormous amounts of greenhouse gases.
Indonesia has huge tracts of tropical forests but a rapid deforestation rate. It has pledged to cut emissions by 2020 to 26 percent lower than the level if no action were taken or 41 percent lower if it is able to secure foreign funding and other assistance, like technology.
Part of the $1 billion promised by Norway will be spent on compensating businesses that have existing concessions cancelled in order to keep forests standing, said Agus Purnomo, head of the secretariat of Indonesia's National Climate Change Council.
"When you revoke licences, when you cancel things, it involves money," Purnomo told Reuters by telephone.
"It's not that we will cancel all licences but (only) if there is a need to do so" to keep primary forest intact, he said.
Compensation to permit holders could include cash, land swaps or other "amicable, workable and realistic solutions", he said.
Palm oil firms such as Wilmar (WLIL.SI) and Indofood Agri Resources (IFAR.SI) have ambitious expansion plans in Indonesia, already the largest producer of an oil used to make products ranging from chocolate to soap.
Palm oil and pulp and paper firms are most likely to be affected, said Purnomo.
"But I am not ruling out any possibility. The spirit of the agreement was to save the remaining natural forest and peatland and we will do whatever humanly possibly to make it happen, within the legal context of Indonesia," he said.
"If we have to go through cancellations in the court system, we will do it."
Permit holders will find out within six months if their concessions will be honoured, he said.
"Some of them don't have a valid permit, they are just making a claim," said Purnomo. "If they don't have a valid permit, we are not going to compensate. If they are getting it through bribery, we are not going to give" compensation.
A text of the Oslo agreement, seen by Reuters, suggests that the moratorium on new concessions for conversion of peat and natural forests will not be implemented until 2011. The document said that the deal will be broken into two phases.
The first phase, which runs until the end of 2010, focuses mainly on preparing and implementing pilot projects under a U.N.-backed forest preservation scheme called reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD).
REDD allows developing nations to earn money by not chopping down their forests.
The second phase of the deal, running from 2011 to 2013, will focus on REDD, law enforcement and capacity building.
The commitment to a two-year suspension on all new concessions for conversion of peat and natural forests is listed in phase two, suggesting it does not come into effect until 2011. (Editing by Sara Webb and Sugita Katyal)
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