RI tables WOC result in Paris meeting

Indonesian delegates, led by Minister of Environment Rachmat Witoelar, tabled for the first time Manado Ocean declaration on role of ocean in climate change during the Major Economic Forum (MEF) in Paris last week. "We report the forum about Manado Ocean Declaration. In principle, other countries welcome it but the formal discussion will be made in Bonn climate change meeting next week," Masnellyarti Hilman member of Indonesian delegation told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

Major Economies Forum, initiated by the United States, discussed the climate change and energy issues. Countries attended the forum include  Australia, Canada, Brazil, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, India, China and United Kingdom.

The forum was crucial ahead of the Copenhagen climate change conference in December when the world countries were expected to agree on new protocol on emission cut target to substitute commitment on Kyoto which would end in 2011. Indonesia targeted that the ocean should be included in the Copenhagen agenda despite the ongoing debates on whether or not the ocean could sink carbon.