JAKARTA – President Joko Widodo stated that Indonesia’s huge renewable energy potential needs to be supported by large investments, technology transfers, and funding, said his statement at the opening of the 144th Inter-Parlimentary Union (IPU) Session at the Bali International Convention Center (BICC) The Westin, Nusa Dua, Bali, Sunday (20/3).
President Jokowi stated that Indonesia has great potential for renewable energy, ranging from hydro energy potential from 4,400 rivers, geothermal energy potential of 29 thousand megawatts, wind power, underwater currents, to abundant solar energy.
“I really appreciate it if all parliaments in the IPU member countries can mobilize together with the government so that a decision emerges, a truly real and concrete action emerges so that it can be implemented in the field,” he said.
The practice of energy transition from fossil energy to new and renewable energy (EBT) for developing countries is not an easy matter. Although the issue of climate change is very often discussed at global meetings, real action has not yet been felt for the world community.
“Don’t forget that we are facing a terrible thing. If we don’t dare to mobilize policies, both in parliament and in the government, that is climate change. What we often do, we often talk about, are often decided in global meetings, but the field action has not yet been seen,” said President Joko Widodo.
Especially now that the whole world is trying to get up in the midst of uncertain conditions due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Climate change, technological disruption, regulatory adaptation that is less fast than technological innovation, and inflation are major challenges for the global community.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted all things that we never thought possible. We feel the scarcity of energy, rising food prices, scarcity of containers in sending existing logistics, and rising inflation in almost all countries so that people find it difficult to reach rising prices, ” he said.
In a series of world parliamentary events entitled ‘Getting to Zero: Mobilizing Parliament to Act on Climate Change’, the President encouraged all parties to mobilize climate finance. Without this funding the impacts of climate change will be difficult to anticipate.
“We must solve this immediately. For example, investment in renewable energy. Then those related to technology transfer. If this is not actually done, I will never be pessimistic that we can’t really prevent this climate change,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, in her speech, said that it takes 100 billion USD per year to mobilize climate change mitigation and adaptation actions. Therefore, Puan urges the world parliamentary forum to fulfill its promise to allocate a budget for climate action.
The real action, continued Puan, is absolutely necessary to save the world from the effects of climate change which causes many disasters.
“We must realize the commitment to finance climate change of 100 billion US dollars per year, and we must support the clean energy transition with technology transfer and investment,” he said.
To achieve this, Puan emphasized to international parliamentarians to strengthen global partnerships and multilateralism.
In addition, the need to turn commitments to various international agreements into concrete actions at home. Then build a culture of peace in the form of solving problems with dialogue and tolerance, and leaving violence.
“The parliament needs to play an active role in bridging differences between countries and trying to build mutual trust,” he said. (Hartatik)
