VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesia will fight for the interests of island countries during its G20 Presidency, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mahendra Siregar, said in a statement released here on Thursday.

For the first time in history, the G20 Presidency has decided to invite small archipelagic countries, represented by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), he informed.

"We want the G20 to be relevant not just for member countries, but also for the whole world," he said during a virtual discussion between Indonesia and Jamaica on climate change.

By including small archipelagic nations, it is expected that inclusive recovery can immediately be realized, which aligns with Indonesia's G20 Presidency theme, "Recover Together, Recover Stronger", he added.

Indonesia has also made the issue of energy transition a priority for its G20 Presidency, Siregar noted.

The discussion on the transition to green energy is very important and mirrors the perspective that Indonesia, as both a developing nation and an archipelagic country, is affected by climate change, he observed.

As a developing nation, Indonesia has a vested interest in placing the issue of climate change within the framework of sustainable development, he said.

"Indonesia is vulnerable to the effects of climate change. To this end, it is focusing on adaptation and mitigation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the impact of hydrometeorological disasters," he affirmed.

As President Joko Widodo said in Glasgow in 2021, Indonesia is aiming to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 29 percent under the business-as-usual category by 2030, he noted.

It is also seeking an additional 41-percent reduction with the support of the international community, he said.

Indonesia has also delivered its long-term strategy and climate resilience plan that aims for net-zero emissions by 2060, he added. (Antaranews)