Lack of Law Weakens Indonesia in UN`s Biodiversity Convention

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The revision of Law (RUU) No. 5/1990 on the nature conservation resources and its ecosystem is yet to be completed during the process that has lasted two years. The urgency of the regulation has never been more important to protect Indonesia’s natural resources from biopiracy.

Biopiracy itself describes the moment a researcher or research organization exploits a country’s biological resource without receiving any sanctions. This situation is made worse by the weak position the Indonesian government is currently at in the United Nations Biodiversity Conference since the government has yet provided the essential policies at the national level upon the uses of genetic resources.

Senior Advisor in the Environment and Forestry Ministry Efransjah said that such regulation is urgently needed and bears the same importance to the issue of climate change, which needs a strong awareness within the country’s national political level.

According to Tempo`s  sources, the RUU is yet to be improved since the design is hampered by sectoral-egos among Indonesia’s ministries. “Not really,” said the Environment and Forestry Ministry’s Director of Biodiversity Conservation Director Indra Exploitasia on Sunday, December 2.

During the United Nations Biodiversity Conference, technologically advanced countries such as Japan, South Korea, Swiss, and European Union countries have objected the notion of sharing the benefits upon using genetic resources.

Moreover, Indonesia is joined in the Like-Minded Megadiverse Countries (LMMC) comprised of countries such as Malaysia, Philippines, Latin America countries, and a number of African countries.

SHINTA MAHARANI