Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia is optimistic about reaching a net zero emissions target by 2060 or sooner, a senior minister said after the government submitted its updated nationally determined contributions (NDC) to the United Nations earlier this week.
The new net zero emissions target was at least a decade earlier than the 2070 target, President Joko Widodo said in March.
While Indonesia maintained its goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 41 percent by 2030 with international assistance, the country has updated its adaptation measures and included a new long-term strategy for low carbon development in the document filed to the UN last week.
Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan told a virtual seminar on July 27 he was optimistic that Indonesia, the world's eighth biggest greenhouse gas emitter, could reach net zero emissions within 50 years.
In the energy sector, the government plans to stop using coal, oil and gas by 2060 and aims to have 85 percent of its energy needs from renewable sources and the rest from nuclear energy, according to a document presented by Luhut at the seminar.
Indonesia, the world's top thermal coal exporter, currently sources 60 percent of its energy from coal.
Luhut said Indonesia was also looking into utilising energy storage and hydrogen fuel cell technology. A mega hydropower plant in North Kalimantan is expected to start construction in October to support renewable energy contribution, he added.
Last month, Indonesian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Arifin Tasrif has revealed several long-term strategies for achieving the carbon neutral or net-zero emissions target in the energy sector by 2060.
He said the target will be meet firstly through the development of massive new and renewable energy. The last steam power plants (PLTU) will be terminated in 2058 and gas and steam power plants (PLTGU) in 2054./.
The new net zero emissions target was at least a decade earlier than the 2070 target, President Joko Widodo said in March.
While Indonesia maintained its goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 41 percent by 2030 with international assistance, the country has updated its adaptation measures and included a new long-term strategy for low carbon development in the document filed to the UN last week.
Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan told a virtual seminar on July 27 he was optimistic that Indonesia, the world's eighth biggest greenhouse gas emitter, could reach net zero emissions within 50 years.
In the energy sector, the government plans to stop using coal, oil and gas by 2060 and aims to have 85 percent of its energy needs from renewable sources and the rest from nuclear energy, according to a document presented by Luhut at the seminar.
Indonesia, the world's top thermal coal exporter, currently sources 60 percent of its energy from coal.
Luhut said Indonesia was also looking into utilising energy storage and hydrogen fuel cell technology. A mega hydropower plant in North Kalimantan is expected to start construction in October to support renewable energy contribution, he added.
Last month, Indonesian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Arifin Tasrif has revealed several long-term strategies for achieving the carbon neutral or net-zero emissions target in the energy sector by 2060.
He said the target will be meet firstly through the development of massive new and renewable energy. The last steam power plants (PLTU) will be terminated in 2058 and gas and steam power plants (PLTGU) in 2054./.
VNA
