RI HAS SIGNIFICANT CARBON TRADING POTENTIAL

Denpasar, Oct 27 (ANTARA) - Indonesia has significant potential to engage in carbon trading but has yet to have sufficient skills compared with other countries grouped in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

"Indonesia's opportunity to sell carbon is big enough but it still needs reinforcement from developed countries," Indonesian Climate Change spokesman Agus Purnomo in Nusa Dua on Monday.

Speaking after the opening of the 31st Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Purnomo said that through the panel the IPCC members were expected to reinforce the countries which had potential in carbon trade.

He said that of 227 proposals Indonesia submitted, at least 30 had been agreed by Carbon-dioxide Board in Germany, and even three to five proposals have had certificate.

But Purnomo added that Indonesia still needed a right time to sell carbon with reasonable price.

"It is better for Indonesia to postpone the carbon sale while waiting for the result of the 15th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Copenhagen next December 2009," Purnomo said.

He said carbon price would probably be more expensive after the UNFCCC in Copenhagen to recommend countries with many carbon industries to reduce emission.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Climate Change Board chairman Rachmat Witoelar said the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in Bali was participated in by scientific institutions from geophysics, meteorology, environment, forestry, maritime, and government representatives.

"Through the IPCC, scientific aspects in climate change as the basic material for the preparation of next UNFCCC will be discussed," Witoelar said.

He said Indonesia would propose that developing countries be given assistance.

"Developed countries with much carbon emission should have responsibility to developing countries," Witoelar said in the company of Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) chairman Sri Woro B Harijono.

The IPCC which is to last until October 29 is participated in by 430 delegates from 140 countries and research institutions.