Indonesia launched second round Green Investment Campaign

In South East Asia region, Thailand seems the clear leader in green investment and initiatives towards promoting renewable energy. In Malaysia, there are clear indications that we are getting more serious in working towards achieving the goal to reduce greenhouse gas emission.

It is good that Indonesia is also working in tandem to go green.

Green Investment Towards Innovation and Productivity

JAKARTA -- Collaborative stakeholders have launched a campaign of the 'Second Round Green Investment Towards Innovation and Productivity in Indonesia' to support the Indonesian government in mainstreaming climate change issues.

The stakeholders consist of National Council on Climate Change (DNPI), Matsushita Gobel Foundation, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Indonesia Chief Editors Forum, Indonesian news agency ANTARA reported.

The Second Round Green Investment campaign is aimed at sharing ideas and experiences on potential for green investments and also attended by experts, scientists and environmental non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

DNPI executive chair Rachmat Witoelar said during the launch here Wednesday that the roots of climate change are anthropogenic and man-made problems need to be tackled by man.

"Stakeholders of all levels rely on partnership with the media to spread the message of climate change impacts and solutions to the citizens," he said.

President Director of PT Gobel International, Rachmat Gobel, said Matsushita Gobel Foundation has been supporting collaborative efforts towards green industry through the first round of green investment that provided technical roundtable on green technology and green industry.

"The second round green investment is launched to face new challenges to boost high economic growth and mitigation efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emission," he said.

"Efforts in reducing greenhouse gas emission have become a global market trend as is the increasing demand of eco-green products. Understanding green technology and implementation of the green industry is critical to increase competitiveness," he added. -- Bernama, March 28

China, Indonesia sign US$17b deals

Jakarta Globe on Mar 23, 2012 posted on its website that Indonesia and China signed six agreements and prospective deals worth at least $17 billion.

The deals, signed in Beijing, are reported to be in the fields of mining, hydropower and steel. This is following China's President Hu's six-point proposal to expand links with Indonesia in oil, gas, mining, electricity, space and renewable energy.

I am particularly interested in the effort by the two Asian economies to strengthen ties in renewable energy. As indicated in the report, China would be collaborating with Indonesia in the development and installation of hydroelectric power generators, and probably solar PV. Note that China is currently the largest producer of solar modules and is very aggressive in promoting the solar PV industry.

With these deals and agreements, it is expected that Indonesia will step up the gear in renewable energy initiatives as in Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippine. In South East Asia, Thailand is the fore runner in renewable energy industries.

China is currently Malaysia's biggest trading partner but on few occasions (months) is surpassed by Singapore. In January 2012, Malaysia's top 5 trading partners  are China, Singapore, Japan, EU, and the United States in that order.

Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (C) walks with China's President Hu Jintao (L)
as they inspect an honour guard during a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in
Beijing on March 23, 2012. (AFP photo, channelnewsasia.com)

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Jakarta Globe
March 23, 2012

Beijing. Indonesia and China strengthened their bilateral relations on Friday with the signing of six agreements and prospective deals worth potentially more than $17 billion.The agreements followed talks on Friday between visiting Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Chinese President Hu Jintao, in which both sides reaffirmed the importance of relations.

“Both countries have the spirit to increase strategic cooperation in various sectors,” said Yudhoyono, who received an honorary doctorate from Tsinghua University on Friday afternoon.

Hu and Yudhoyono witnessed the signing of agreements on maritime cooperation, fighting drug trafficking, trade statistics, Chinese visitors to Indonesia and a joint oceanography and weather-research institute. China’s Foreign Ministry quoted Hu as telling Yudhoyono that China supported the idea of Indonesia playing a greater international role and that it wanted to expand bilateral cooperation on global affairs. Hu made a six-point proposal, which was welcomed by Yudhoyono, to “strengthen strategic communication,” increase trade and broaden ties in other areas.

China wanted to expand links with Indonesia in oil, gas, mining, electricity, space and renewable energy, Hu said. The nations should also expand defense cooperation by “staging joint drills, increasing visits [and] jointly combating terrorism and cross-border crime.”

Indonesian and Chinese business leaders also reached agreements worth $17.4 billion, Yudhoyono said.

“The cooperation has been agreed upon in 15 memorandums of understanding. The sectors in which cooperation has been established include seaports, roads, alternative energy, the motorcycle industry, mining, construction in strategic areas and steel industry,” he said.

Chinese state news agency Xinhua said companies attending the business summit included China Huadian Corp., China National Offshore Oil, China Harbor Engineering and Indonesian state steel maker Krakatau Steel. Yudhoyono said Indonesia welcomed Chinese companies to invest in the country and assist with infrastructure projects. Hu said the two nations were on track to Reaching $80 billion in bilateral trade by 2015.