UN Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark is on an official visit to Indonesia, where she met with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to discuss Indonesia's efforts to prevent deforestation and degradation as part of the REDD+ initiative and visited a peat swamp pilot site in Central Kalimantan.
28 April 2011: During an official visit in Indonesia, UN Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark visited peat swamp areas in Central Kalimantan and met with local officials to discuss their plans for REDD+ (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, as well as conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of carbon stocks) pilot initiatives.
UNDP hopes to ensure that the pilot initiative benefits the local people. The Government of Norway is providing $1 billion in grant funding to support the protection of Indonesia’s forests.
Helen Clark also met with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to discuss Indonesia’s efforts to prevent deforestation and degradation as part of the REDD+ initiative. Indonesia has committed to reduce its carbon emissions by 26% by 2020. The clearance of peat lands in Kalimantan, which has extremely high carbon density, accounts for about 15% of Indonesia’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Helen Clark will also attend the Business For Environment (B4E) conference, which is being held in Jakarta, from 27-29 April. [UNDP Press Release] [B4E Conference Website]