Jakarta (Greeners) – After months of living in the pandemic, we are now developing a new habit of cleaning. Some of us might do our cleaning chores more religiously. We are using more cleaning products to makes us feel safer against the virus. No wonder, during the beginning of the pandemic, everyday household cleaning products are among the items that are out of stock in the grocery store. We might feel safer with piles of cleaning products at home. However, are these cleaning products safe for the environment?

According to Muryanto, Biomass Energy and Environment researcher from Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia, The Indonesian Academy of Sciences, the answer is: not so much.

Cleaning products like surface cleaners and laundry detergent often contain non-renewable chemicals that produce carbon emission. One of the harmful chemicals is called surfactant. Surfactant molecules are capable of clearing out impurities from the garment and various surfaces. However, in the typical Indonesian grocery store, cleaning products often used petroleum-derived surfactant.

“As surfactant uses fossil fuel as the raw material, carbon emission is inevitable when producing these cleaning supplies. Every product produces a carbon footprint, carbon emission, both in the process of production also when it is being used at home. The more these products use fossil fuel as raw material, the more carbon footprint it produces,” explains Muryanto to Greeners, Friday (11/9/2020).

Also read: Indonesia Turn To Blue Carbon To Speed Up Reducing Carbon Emissions

Plant-derived Surfactant for More Environmentally Friendly Cleaning Products

Thankfully, nowadays, the industry is catching up. Companies start to offer alternative ingredients to meet the demand for environmentally friendly cleaning products. Cleaning products start to use plant-derived surfactants, also known as “natural surfactant.” These plant-derived surfactant use palm oil and other biomass fuels as opposed to fossil fuel.

“When we change the raw material from fossil fuel to palm oil or other biomass fuels undoubtedly, the carbon emission will also be reduced,” says Muryanto.

Accordingly, multinational consumer goods company, Unilever announces that they will no longer using fossil fuel raw material and starts to entirely replace them with renewable and environmentally friendly ingredients per 2030. Unilever admits that laundry detergent and other cleaning products produce 46% of their total carbon emission.

Also read: Jokowi: Indonesia Contributes Largest Carbon Emission For The World This Year

Peter ter Kulve, Unilever President of Home Care, on their press release, Wednesday (2/9/2020), explains their willingness, as part of the industry, to cut their dependency toward fossil fuel. It includes avoiding petroleum-derived components as raw material.

This initiative is part of Unilever’s Clean Future program. The program aims to build a sustainable economy as well as reducing carbon footprint. They assumed the replacement of cleaning supplies’ raw materials would cut emissions they produce by 20%. Moreover, Unilever invests 1 billion euros in developing biotechnology research and carbon dioxide utilization. This fund is also used to create biodegradable and water-efficient products as well as to cut the use of virgin plastic by half in 2025.

Writers: Dewi Purningsih, Ida Ayu Putu Wiena Vedasari

Editor: Ixora Devi

Jakarta (Greeners) – Following China announced as the host for World Environment Day on June 5 and took air pollution as the theme, Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry is focusing on vehicle emissions and strengthening air pollution concentration parameter.

The 2019 World Environment Day will push for governments, industries, communities and individuals to explore renewable energy and green technology, also to improve air quality in cities and regions throughout the world.

It is predicted seven million premature deaths caused by air pollution in the world, at least four million premature deaths occur in Asia Pacific.

In addition, air pollution leads to global economic loss up to five trillion dollars per year in terms of welfare costs and ozone pollution on terrestrial is predicted to reduce food production to 26 percent by 2030.

READ ALSO: KLHK Denies Jakarta Ranked Worst on Air Quality Report by Greenpeace 

Indonesian government underlines air pollution control by focusing on vehicle emissions.

Karliansyah, director general for pollution and environmental damage control of Ministry of Environment and Forestry, said that the government is currently developing a policy program of fuel similar to EURO 4, revision of thermal power plant emission quality standards, biomass power plant, environmentally friendly vehicles, such as gas, electric, and light rail transit.

“We are managing our pollutant sources as we can, however, this [type] of emission is being prioritized because emissions from vehicles is the main source of air pollution, of nearly 70 percent. Based on air monitoring, unhealthy air occurs between 7 am to 10 am, and around 11 o’clock, emissions reduced, it will rise again around 3 pm and 7 pm,” said Karliansyah on Friday (05/04/2019). “So, our program is to encourage public to shift from private vehicles to mass transportation. In addition, the ministry is tackling forest and land fires, also peatlands restoration.”

READ ALSO: Ministry of Environment and Forestry to Increase Environmental Quality Index in Indonesia 

Meanwhile, as the host of 2019 World Environment Day, China is committed to green growth as the country produces half of world’s electric cars and 99 percent of electric buses throughout the world.

China can show its innovation and progress to achieve clean environment.

“China is the suitable host for the 2019 World Environment Day. The country has shown leadership in tackling air pollution issue in the country. It also encourages other countries to do bigger actions. Air pollution is a global emergency affecting all people. China will lead changes and push for global action to save millions of lives,” said Joyce Msuya on a press statement.

Based on the latest UN report on air pollution in Asia and Pacific, by implementing 25 policies on technology will reduce 20 percent of carbon dioxide and 45 percent of methane gas, globally which contributes to a third Celsius degrees of global warming.

Hence, the 2019 World Environment Day will push governments, industries, communities and individuals to explore renewable energy and green technology, and improve air quality in cities and regions throughout the world.

Reports by Dewi Purningsih

Jakarta (Greeners) – Indonesia’s Special Envoy for Climate Change Control, Rachmat Witoelar, said that blue carbon will speed up the country’s target on reducing greenhouse gas emissions through its submitted Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change on November 2016.

The NDC is Indonesia’s contribution to implement Paris Agreement which had been ratified under the law in 2016 with 29 percent of reducing greenhouse gas emission unconditionally and 41 percent with international support compare to business as usual by 2030.

Witoelar said that with serious blue carbon management, Indonesia’s chance to ambitiously reduce emissions in five sectors, — forestry (17.2 percent), energy (11 percent), agriculture (0.32 percent), industry (0.10 percent) and waste (0.38 percent) –, will be achieved sooner than later.

“By adding ocean sector to absorb carbon, of course, the target can be more ambitious than 29 percent by 2030. It does not need to change NDC because this is just to add more sector,” he said in Jakarta, on Friday (8/9).

READ ALSO: Seagrass Coverage Accounts Only 40 Percent in Indonesia

Safri Burhanuddin, Deputy for Human Resources, Science Technology and Culture, Coordinating Ministry of Maritime Issues, said that coastal ecosystem will absorb and store carbon in sediment constantly in the long run if managed properly compare to terrestrial ecosystem which tend to deplete in time.

There are three ecosystem potentially turned as blue carbon, — mangrove, sea grass, and brackish –. Blue carbon is an effort to reduce carbon dioxide emission on earth by protecting mangrove forest, seagrass, seaweed and coastal ecosystem. Coastal vegetation is believed to store carbon 100 times more and permanent compare to forest in terrestrial.

“Coastal ecosystem could absorb and store carbon in sediment constantly in the long turn if managed properly,” he said.

READ ALSO: Indonesia Prepares For Upcoming Climate Conference

Furthermore, Burhanuddin said that coastal ecosystem management for blue carbon required sustainable management and coordination between ministries and other stakeholder. Hence, it will need constructive communication to develop Indonesian Blue Carbon Roadmap.

In addition, coastal ecosystem has the key role and will be effective for people as natural adaptation and mitigation climate change solution, such as extreme weather and protection towards natural disasters. Without coastal ecosystem, people living coastal areas in the country will face serious economic difficulties as impacts from pressures of fishfarming industry and tourism.

Not A Priority

Based on Reduction Emissions From Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) data, mangrove ecosystem damages are relatively high compare to sea grass with 3.7 percent per year, the highest in Java island, especially northern coastal areas. The best ecosystem can still be found in northern part of East Kalimantan and eastern Indonesia, such as Papua and Maluku.

During UN Climate Conference in Marrakesh, Morocco, blue carbon had been dubbed as one of the contribution to reduce global carbon emission. Globally, 151 countries have blue carbon but only 50 countries pushed it as their agenda to reduce carbon emissions.

Indonesia as the largest blue carbon ecosystem in the world needs to take up important role globally.

Based on blue carbon research by Ministry of Marine and Fisheries and other stakeholders for the past five years, seagrass has potential to absorb and store 4.88 tons/ha/year. Indonesia’s seagrass can store up to 16.11 million carbon per year.

Meanwhile, mangrove ecosystem can store up to 38.80 ton/ha.year. In total, the potential reaches up to 122.22 million tons/year. However, Indonesia has lost a fourth of mangrove forest in the last three decades, from 4.20 million hectares in 1982 to 3.48 million hectares in 2017.

Reports by Danny Kosasih

Jakarta (Greeners) – Women and girls have high health risk due to solid fuel use in the kitchen, such as woods, coal, animal dung, among others.

Based on Statistic Agency data in 2015, solid fuel use in Indonesia’s household was still dominant, — 88 sub-districts uses gas, 41,747 villages using gas, 4,277 villages use kerosene and 35,831 villages use woods –.

Head of Indonesian Consumers Foundation, Tulus Abadi, said that 43 percent of households in the country used solid fuel, especially woods. In the future, he added, villagers will continue to use traditional biomass, such as woods, coal, animal dung and others.

“Meanwhile, wood is solid fuel that would jeopardize health and environment for emitting 88 ppm carbon during cooking and 4 ppm without cooking,” he said in Jakarta, on Monday(10/4).

READ ALSO: Transportation Sector Determines Air Quality Management in the Cities

Meanwhile, gas only emits 3 ppm during cooking and 2 ppm without cooking. Another concern is the use of kerosene, which is considered bad for health especially women for emitting 13 ppm during cooking and 2 ppm without cooking.

“Government must be careful on its plan to revoke subsidy for gas early 2018 because it might encourage people, especially low income families, to go back to use chopped woods again due to high price. This can be dangerous from health, environment, and also consumption ability,” he said. “If they pulled the subsidy, one gas can reaches Rp45,000 which can hit hard for people and their consumption scheme.”

Furthermore, he said that government need to facilitate people to use clean, affordable and healthy energy, either in major scale such as geothermal, solar panel, or other sources of energy.

READ ALSO: Indonesia Announces Vehicles To Use Euro 4

People can also use local sources, such as domestic waste to produce biogas. These efforts need to be facilitated by government, including local government with clear regulation and financial schemes.

“Without clean energy use and development for households then health risk for women and children will increase in addition with high price of gas, people will definitely turn to corrosive energy that would threaten health and environment,” he said.

World Health Organization in 2012, 4.3 million died prematurely due to household air pollution cause by solid waste. Indonesia is predicted to experience 45,000 deaths of women and children from the use of solid fuel.

Reports by Danny Kosasih

Jakarta (Greeners) – Increased transportation activities have triggered for air pollution in cities, said Minister of Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya, in Jakarta, on Saturday (24/12).

“Seventy percent of pollution in the cities is from transportation sector. With high use of fossil fuel for transportation, the sector is responsible to reduce greenhouse gas emission which contributes to global warming,” said Minister Siti.

In 2020, half of Indonesia’s population will be living in the cities leading to increase transportation, 12 percent per year, dominated by motorcycles. It will cause new problems, not just traffic jams but also road accidents, air pollution and noise pollution.

READ ALSO: New Research Reveals Indonesia’s Carbon Emission is Less Than IPCC Report

To tackle the issue, she added that green transportation must be planned without reducing economic and social activities for urban dwellers.

The principle of green transportation is to encourage mobility and accessibility without adding more burden to economics and environment. Promoting green transportation will also provide health protection as it would reduce air pollution in the cities.

“Green transportation also creates healthy habit by giving more choices of transportation aside from vehicles,” she said.

READ ALSO: Switzerland Shows Interest to Invest Renewable Energy in Indonesia

Meanwhile, Director General of Pollution Control and Environmental Damage at the Ministry, Karliansyah, said that air pollution this year was constant compare to 2015.

“In 2016, hydrocarbon had reached past the benchmark was found in Medan city. In addition, 14 cities did not implement Cities Air Quality Evaluation, — Bandung, Bekasi, Depok, Bogor, Surabaya, Tangerang, Malang, South Tangerang, Jayapura, Manokwari, Kendari, Ternate, Palangkaraya, and Pangkal Pinang,” said Karliansyah.

Furthermore, he said the evaluation provided information on air quality, performance and competitiveness of cities for air quality management and green transportation, also to serve as guidance for cities to improve their air quality.

In addition, the evaluation could guide and provide input in the policies and strategies on air quality also act as government’s accountability on their air quality management in the cities.

READ ALSO: Experts and Activists Weight In on Plans to Eliminate Environmental Impact Analysis

Karliansyah said there were few components to push for better air quality, such as clean fuels, which improve the vehicles and reduce air pollution.

“We are coordinating with other ministries/agencies to immediately apply EURO 4 policy,” he said. “With this policy, green fuel will be available, which is sulfur with below 50 ppm.”

Next, he said, is shifting to public transportation by increasing cheaper, safer and comfortable public transportation.

Reports by Danny Kosasih

Jakarta (Greeners) – Indonesia’s House of Parliament (DPR) ratifies Paris Agreement during its Plenary meeting on Wednesday (19/10).

Gus Irawan Pasaribu, Chair of Commission VII, which oversees environment, said members of Commission have met in the first stage discussion on Oct 11 and agreed to ratify the international agreement which aimed to prevent two degrees Celsius temperature rise.

“DPR will be having further discussions with related parties [on the ratification],” said Pasaribu in Jakarta.

READ ALSO: Lawmakers Support Indonesia’s Ratification on Paris Agreement

Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya appreciated and thankful for the ratification adding that she no longer worry for Indonesia had received international supports.

“I am not worried about the implementation [because] of positive international support. I do sincerely feel that the international supports us,” she said. “However, the most important thing is Indonesia’s own work and its public to change its attitude. This is where socialization needs to be done.”

Indonesia, listed as the 85th country to ratify the agreement, will receive advantages as a nation prone to climate change impacts, geographically, she added. Indonesia is predicted to experience temperature rising between 0,5-3,92 °C by 2100.

In addition, Indonesia has experienced the shift between wet and dry season, significantly. Rainfall intensity is higher and its duration is shorter hit northern part of Sumatera and Kalimantan.

READ ALSO: Indonesia to Ratify Paris Agreement

Indonesia joined the other 84 nations which have legally binding the agreement to keep earth’s temperature based on common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, and push for developed countries to provide funding, capacity building and transfer technology for developing nations.

“Indonesia can learn valuable lessons including increase protection to prone areas from negative impacts of climate change so efforts to control it become a priority,” she said adding that national commitment to achieve sustainable development, low carbon emission from different sectors, and better sustainable forest management.

Reports by Danny Kosasih

Jakarta (Greeners) – Indonesia is expected to issue presidential instruction on oil palm expansion banning or moratorium on early August, said a senior official, in Jakarta on Tuesday (19/7).

San Afri Awang, Director General of Planology, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, said that there was still a discussion related to criteria and coordination meeting between 12 institutions.

In addition, the ministry is currently evaluating 11.4 million hectares of oil palm plantation.

Furthermore, San Afri said that the moratorium and evaluation would be under presidential instruction considering that oil palm plantations are located in forest areas under regional and central governments.

READ ALSO: President Jokowi Bans Oil Palm Plantation and Mining Concessions

The presidential instruction will regulate specific obligation for institutions related to oil palm, starting from permit issuance in downstream to upstream industries. It is expected that central and regional governments can be in synergy in issuing policies.

“The substance of the instruction is related to new permits moratorium and evaluation on oil palm permit issuance,” said San Afri.

He added that from 950,000 hectares of areas included in the moratorium, Indonesia would be able to reserve 0.26 gigaton CO2e per year. The number can reach 20 percent from annual emission coming from deforestation.

READ ALSO: Six Governors Committed An International Pledge On Deforestation

Meanwhile, he said a total of 3.5 million hectares were potentially included in the moratorium with 950,000 hectares have been proposed for release to the ministry. The proposal comes from 60 companies while the rest would be evaluated under PP 60 Year 2012 and PP 104 Year 2015.

“In addition, we would also issue ministerial regulation which will have details on oil palm plantation management,” he added.

Reports by Danny Kosasih

Jakarta (Greeners) – A recent study revealed that Indonesia’s carbon emission is 19 percent less than current data acknowledged by UN’s panel of scientists, a senior official said in Jakarta, on Thursday (16/6).

The research, a joint study between Indonesia’s Forestry Faculty of Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB), South Dakota State University (SDSU), Montana University, Palangkaraya University, Central Kalimantan District Administration, Kapuas District Administration, and Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, counted the country’s carbon emission level with different method that being referred by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Director of Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory and Monitoring, Report and Verification of Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Krisfianti Linda Ginoga, said that Indonesia has interests in the research because it would strengthen the country’s confidence in delivering carbon emission reference level data, especially from peat land forest at international forums.

“The research obviously brings fresh air and boost Indonesia’s confidence in its report,” said Ginoga.

READ ALSO: Contradictory on Indonesia’s Commitment to Reduce Emission

Currently, Indonesia hold the title as third largest carbon emitter nation, after US and China, if included emission contribution from deforestation, forest fires, and peat lands. Without these emission factors, then Indonesia’s rank could fall to 22 or 24 in the emitter list.

“It shows the importance of protecting Indonesia’s peats from fires and [contribute] to reduce global emission carbon. In addition, to be able to provide accurate calculation method to measure emission levels from peat lands, which could be used to re-position Indonesia’s rank,” she added.

Meanwhile, director of climate change mitigation, Emma Rachmawaty, said that the research was part of evaluation on the country’s efforts.

Under UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Task Force Inventory (TFI) is tasked to gather all emission factor database (EFDB) based on their own characteristic which would be accessible to all countries.

“In October, Indonesia will be the host of TFI and there will be evaluation on emission factors counted by experts at the forum. They would be able to present their data and if it is traceable and knowledgeable then it could be recognized at international forum,” she said.

READ ALSO: Indonesia and Denmark Governments Collaborate on Tackling Environment Issues

NASA Tropical Peat Fire Research Project Incorporating, Quantifying and Locating Fire Emissions from Tropical Peat Lands: Filling a Critical Gap in Indonesia’s National Carbon Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) Capabilities for Supporting REDD+ Activities is funded by NASA and involved a research team led by Bambang Hero Saharjo of Silviculture Department of Bogor Agricultural Institute.

The research is using an equipment called Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Photoacoustic Extinctiometer (PAX) of 405 nm and 870 nm wavelengths, gravimetric filters, and Whole Air Sampling (WAS).

Up to date, peat fires emission is measured through Seiler and Cruizen equation which is adopted by IPCC. Nowadays, emission factor calculation has become crucial parameter in measure total emission from peat fires.

The result encourages for revisions in emission factors from IPCC, CO2 level dropped 8 percent, CH4 dropped to 55 percent, NH3 dropped to 86 percent, and CO increased 39 percent.

Current emission factors from IPCC for Indonesia’s peat fires are 1703 for CO2 and 20.8 for CH4. “The IPCC emission factor data was collected from lab’s research using samples of Sumatran peat in 2003,” said Saharjo.

Reports by Danny Kosasih