G20 EDM-CSWG Second Meeting Produces Pre-Zero Draft Ministerial Communique

Jakarta , June 21, 2022 - On June 21, 2022, the G20 member countries' Second Meeting of the Environment Deputies Meeting and Climate Sustainability Working Group (2nd EDM-CSWG) in Jakarta came to an official conclusion.

At the press conference following the conclusion, Laksmi Dwanthi, Director-general of Climate Change Control for the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, stated that this second meeting in Jakarta was crucial. This second meeting acted as a mediator between the first meeting in Yogyakarta and the final meeting in Bali next August which will discuss the Ministerial Communique.

In preparation for the Ministerial Communique in August, 19 workshop sessions on the environment and climate change have been held.

"The meeting has produced a document called pre-zero draft, an initial document that will be discussed continuously until the Ministerial Communique of Environment and Climate and Sustainability is produced in August," said Laksmi.

Laksmi said that several meetings will be held in the wake of the pre-zero draft communiqué, leading up to a ministerial-level conference in Bali. We currently only have a pre-zero draft of the Communique; thus, we are unable to disseminate it. We will have a series of discussions and negotiations for the Communique, until the third meeting at the end of August in Bali," according to Laksmi.

The Communique will contain elements or paragraphs that reflect the commitment. Laksmi presented an illustration, saying that the G20 is committed to stepping up efforts to control climate change in order to ensure the global average surface temperature does not rise or exceed 1.5 Celsius. The commitment to urge developed countries to fulfill their pledge or promise to provide funding for developing countries is another commitment that has been made.

According to Laksmi, "This communique represents the topics covered during the meeting and the G20 nations' wishes to be communicated in this EDM-CSWG as a commitment, a call, and as a plan for the future." According to Laksmi, by holding the presidency, Indonesia has the chance to set the G20's big agenda which includes: (1) contribution to the global health architecture, particularly given that Indonesia

assumed the presidency during the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) digital transformation to support economic growth; and (3) energy transitions.

"Indonesia gets the chance to present and speak Indonesian agendas that will later be adopted or accepted as the agenda of the G20 countries thanks to the inclusion of these three themes, which were later explained in each Working Group. The national-level initiatives that Indonesia has already undertaken will be introduced, duplicated, and worked on in conjunction with several countries, including partner countries and those outside of the G20. This is an excellent chance for Indonesia to demonstrate its leadership in numerous environmental and forestry preservation agendas," said Laksmi.

According to Sigit Reliantoro, Director-general of Pollution and Environmental Damage Control for the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, this second meeting's EDM section covered topics like Land Degradation, Halting Biodiversity Loss, Integrated and Sustainable Water Management, Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy, Marine Litter, Ocean Conservation, and Sustainable Finance.

Meanwhile, the CSWG section discussed three issues: (1) what is the role of co-benefits between mitigation actions and adaptation actions in preparing a condition or community that is climate resilient; (2) how to strengthen specific partnership actions and cooperation for sustainable marine management initiatives; and (3) how to encourage and accelerate the implementation of NDCs with sustainable approaches or transitions from current conditions to low carbon and climate-resilient conditions.

"By observing the conference's progress, we gained a better understanding of the issues and the ways in which the interests of these G20 countries may be combined. There aren't many notes that contradict one another about land degradation; there are a number of issues related to the similarity of targets, and more ambitious targets, both of which need to be synchronized with the needs of developed and developing countries," said Sigit.

Sigit continued, that EDM has an agenda from President Joko Widodo's policies addressing peat and mangrove restoration which are pushed to be included in the G20 agenda.

"We will support what Indonesia already has, such as regulations, technical expertise, and concrete results of our work that we can share, especially with countries with tropical peat ecosystems. However, this idea is also welcomed by peat-rich countries with a moderate climate," said Sigit.

Although peatland and mangroves make up just 3% of the earth's surface, they serve amazing roles since they can absorb four times as much CO2 as regular tropical forests, in his opinion, making their restoration a crucial concern.

"Peat areas also serve as water regulators, and mangroves help to reduce disasters like tsunamis and other similar events. It is significant for the entire globe, not just Indonesia," said Sigit.

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