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National Symposium with the theme "Forest Product Standards in a Circular Economy for Green Construction" which took place in Jakarta (12/9/2024), (Photo : KLHK Ministry) - 

VOInews, Jakarta : The Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) through the LHK Standardization and Instruments Agency held a National Symposium with the theme "Forest Product Standards in a Circular Economy for Green Construction". The event which took place in Jakarta (12/9/2024) aimed to discuss the important role of forest product standards in supporting sustainable development, especially in the construction sector.

In his remarks, the Head of the LHK Standardization and Instruments Agency, Ary Sudijanto, emphasized the urgency of using certified and sustainably managed forest products. According to him, sustainably produced wood can not only preserve biodiversity, but also contribute to reducing carbon emissions and supporting a circular economy.

"The building industry currently contributes 39% of global CO2 emissions. Using wood as a carbon neutral material can reduce emissions significantly," said Ary.

This symposium also discussed the importance of integrating forest product standards in green construction to address the challenges of climate change and the biodiversity crisis.

The participants, consisting of academics, business actors and other stakeholders, discussed the development of new standards that can support sustainable forest management and encourage sustainable growth of the forestry industry.

"By implementing the right standards, we can improve the quality of forest products, support international trade, and contribute to green economic development," added Ary.

One of the important points discussed in this symposium was the role of the circular economy in forest management. Circular economy principles which emphasize reducing waste and maximizing resource utilization are considered very relevant to efforts to preserve forests and sustainable development.

This national symposium presented several speakers, including Prof. Dr. Lina Karlinasari, S.Hut., M.Sc.F.Trop, from IPB University, Ha Kyungsoo, Forestry Attache of the Embassy of the Republic of South Korea, and Chair of the Indonesian Wood Panel Association.

It is hoped that the results of this symposium can become the basis for formulating policies and developing more comprehensive forest product standards, so that they can support sustainable development in Indonesia//VOI