Greenpeace Indonesia Criticizes Jokowi's COP26 Climate Speech

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Greenpeace Indonesia on Tuesday criticized the speech delivered by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo at the World Leaders Summit at the United Nations Climate Change Summit (COP26) in Glasgow. 

The environmental watchdog argued that the speech itself did not emulate the government’s seriousness, nor did it reflect the ambition to tackle the climate crisis. 

Head of Greenpeace Indonesia, Leonard Simanjuntak, on November 2, said as part of the community of 20 of the world’s largest economies and 10 of the world’s largest carbon emitters, Indonesia should lead real action to decarbonize the economy. 

“It could be pledged by reaching carbon neutrality in 2050, halting the coal domination in the energy sector, and not relying on carbon trade that is a sham solution towards the climate crisis,” Leonard wrote in a statement on November 2. 

He added that Indonesia should become the role model for developing countries by eliminating the dependency towards dirty energy, realizing zero deforestation, and not dependent on international financing. 

Greenpeace has openly rebutted several statements conveyed by Jokowi in his COP26 speech. One of which is the claim of dropping deforestation within the last two decades, while the watchdog claimed it had actually grown to 4.8 million hectares annually (2011-2019) from 2.45 million hectares annually (2003-2011).

The drop in deforestation referred to by the President, Leonard said, was tightly connected with the socio-political situation and the pandemic that struck the country which has affected land opening activities.

Read: COP26; Civil Coalition Criticises Carbon Offset Programs

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