Jakarta—The government is strengthening its move towards achieving net-zero emissions (NZE) by 2060 by starting the distribution of low-sulfur fuel oil to reduce emissions from the transportation sector, one of Indonesia’s main contributors to air pollution. This was stated by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) on Friday, October 4.
According to Agus Cahyono Adi, the Head of the Ministry’s Bureau of Communication, Public Information Services and Cooperation (Biro Klik), low-sulfur fuel is urgently needed to improve air quality, which is currently poor in some areas. This is in addition to being in line with Indonesia’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“We all know that our air quality is not good, and one of the causes is the high sulfur content in the fuel we use. Using low-sulfur fuel is necessary to reduce emissions,” Agus said in a press conference.
The government has developed a road map related to the distribution of low-sulfur fuel as a reference for implementation in the field. The initial stage of distribution will begin in the Jakarta, Cikampek, and Balongan areas and gradually continue to Nusa Tenggara, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Papua, and Maluku.
“This roadmap is important as a guide so that the distribution of low sulfur fuel can run well and on target,” Agus added. He also mentioned that this step is part of the carbon emission reduction target in Indonesia’s Enhanced Nationally Determined Contribution (E-NDC). The target is to reduce emissions by 32% or equivalent to 912 million tons of CO2 by 2030.
In addition to low-sulfur diesel oil, the government will begin distributing clean, low-sulfur gasoline, starting from northern Sumatra, southern Sumatra, Banten, and northern Central Java and eventually expanding to West Kalimantan.
With the roadmap in place, the government hopes that these efforts will not only positively impact the environment but also improve people’s quality of life by reducing the risk of diseases caused by air pollution. (Hartatik)
