Jakarta, Jubi – Kaimana District Government, West Papua is ready to become a field laboratory for blue carbon development that can contribute to national and local carbon emissions reductions.
“This study will be our reference in mangrove conservation governance in Kaimana which not only supports the achievement of national commitments in emissions reductions, but also supports the economic community,” said Kaimana Regent Mathias Mairuma in a discussion in Jakarta on Tuesday (October 17).
Regent Mathias said the study of blue carbon in Kaimana will not only to provide scientific data, but can also provide strategic inputs in conserving mangrove ecosystems, strengthening local conservation governance and developing sustainable livelihood alternatives of communities from mangrove crab cultivation.
Blue Carbon has been echoed as one of the contributions to the world carbon emissions reduction targets at the 22nd UN Conference on Climate Change (COP) in Morocco in 2012.
In the near future, Ministry of Maritime will hold a workshop on blue carbon in Kaimana Regency, West Papua. The Expert Staff of the Coordinating Minister for the Department of Sociopolitical Affairs, Tukul Rameyo Adi, hoped that the workshop could produce a policy that develops blue carbon related instruments for both national and international levels.
In addition, Rameyo also hopes the workshop will produce a “road map” of blue carbon that can be applied nationally and locally.
“The development of such instruments and road maps is a form of support for achieving a national commitment to reduce emissions by 29 percent by 2030,” he said.
Tukul Rameyo Adi said Indonesia has the potential to develop blue carbon to reduce carbon emissions because it has mangrove ecosystems, sea grass beds and tidal swamps.
“The government hopes the study of blue carbon could enrich scientific data in developing a policy on blue carbon in Indonesia,” Rameyo said.
“The development of such instruments and roadmaps is a form of support for achieving a national commitment to reduce emissions by 29 percent to 2030 and achieve Sustainable Development Objectives,” he said.
At least, there are 151 countries that have one of three blue carbon ecosystems, namely mangroves, sea grass beds and tidal swamps. Indonesia is one of the countries that have these three ecosystems with mangrove area of about 3.1 million hectares or equal to 22 percent of global ecosystem.
West Papua is the province with the largest natural mangrove ecosystem of 482,029.24 hectares. The study to examine the uptake and below-ground carbon sinks in Kaimana District has been done since 2015.
Total carbon stocks in Kaimana District covering Arguni Bay, Etna Bay, Buruway and Kaimana City reached 54,091,909 Mg C. (tabloidjubi.com/Zely)
