TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) has urged the government to review mining permits for large-scale companies in addition to implementing the moratorium on new mining permits to prevent environmental damage.
Walhi’s environment research head Pius Ginting said that the moratorium would not have impacts on domestic coal productions that reached 400 million metric tons. Pius suggested that the government should review large-scale permits, particularly coal business mining permits (PKP2B).
Pius revealed coal productions would be marketed domestically due to its plummeting price in the global market. Without the review, Pius added, environmental issues would continue to exist.
“The moratorium is like a loose brake, and it won’t affect coal productions since coal would be marketed domestically. The government must review existing permits, particularly the PKP2B,” Pius said in a press release with the Mining Advocacy Network (Jatam) and Greenpeace Indonesia on Thursday, April 21, 2016.
Pius also urged government to review infrastructure projects that support the coal sector, such as railway in South Sumatera, Central Kalimantan and East Kalimantan, Those projects, Pius claimed, would instead increase coal production significantly.
Jatam coordinator Hendrik Siregar suggested the government to review the 35,000 MW electrification program, since the generation of 20,000 MW would be powered by coal.
“It means the electrification program would need a massive supply of coal,” Hendrik explained.
Walhi, along with Jatam and Greenpeace Indonesia, urged the government to realize its commitment in reducing the greenhouse gas emissions by evaluating mining permits in Indonesia.
BISNIS.COM
