Antalya:Indonesia's special envoy on climate and energy, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, underscored the nation's efforts in forest protection and wildfire prevention during the COP31 summit held in Antalya, Turkey. This comes as Indonesia grapples with increased drought risks due to prolonged El Nino conditions.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, Djojohadikusumo detailed the measures being taken, including strengthening prevention through restoration and law enforcement. He highlighted Indonesia's collaboration with regional partners to mitigate the impact of widespread and transboundary haze through ongoing cooperation.

Indonesia is currently experiencing an extended dry season, with El Nino exacerbating wildfire-prone conditions. Between January and July of this year, forest and land fires affected approximately 202,000 hectares, surpassing the areas impacted during similar periods in 2019 and 2023, both of which were also El Nino years.

Efforts to combat these challenges include deploying over 25,000 community members in forest fire prevention and increasing the number of forest rangers and firefighters from 8,000 to 70,000. Djojohadikusumo emphasized that Indonesia will pursue both development and climate action, focusing on economic growth, food and energy security, job creation, and cleaner energy.

Furthermore, Djojohadikusumo assured that agricultural expansion would not infringe on forested areas, particularly primary forests, asserting that development should enhance prosperity and resilience for Indonesians. He reiterated Indonesia's dedication to achieving net-zero emissions by 2060, protecting 30% of its oceans, and developing 100 gigawatts of solar power.

The special envoy also called for increased climate finance and technology transfers, urging countries to provide at least $300 billion annually by 2035.