Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan and Minister of Forestry and Environment Siti Nurbaya discussed the energy transition in line with environmental protection at the G20 ministerial meeting in the city of Karuizawa, 150 kilometers north of Tokyo, Japan.

The ministerial meeting would agree on the G20 Energy Commitment in the Complete Ministerial Communique Document, which was discussed at the Energy Transitions Working Group (ETWG), according to information from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in Jakarta on Sunday.

By integrating the issue of climate change, Japan raises the main theme of energy transition in line with environmental protection and economic growth in "3E + S" namely Energy Security, Economic Efficiency and Environment (3E) and Safety (S).

Japan also prioritizes the Innovation agenda and advanced energy issues, namely Hydrogen, Carbon Capture Storage and Utilization (CCUS), Well-to-Wheel Analysis and Nuclear and Research and Development 20 (RD20).

On this occasion, Indonesia sought various efforts and strategic responses, so that the Japan G20 Secretariat accommodated a number of issues in Third Draft Communique, which among others, first included the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) / Agenda 2030 as the main reference for the Communique, recognizing the implementation of the Energy Transition varies according to SDGs (SDG7).

Second included biofuels as one of Energy Innovations, and bioenergy as part of Renewable Energy and Energy Transition in the world in a variety of uses, especially electricity generation and transportation.

Third included the affordability aspects of Energy Efficiency and Power Systems, and lifted Clean and Affordable Energy Access as a separate part.

Fourth emphasized the importance of understanding the situation of each country in developing CCUS, and encouraging international collaboration in the development of relatively new Hydrogen.

Fifth focused on Well-to-Wheel which is only to develop energy efficiency potential, and not to standardize the calculation of CO2 emissions of motor vehicles in each country.

Sixth simplified nuclear discussions and accommodating the interests of nuclear non-users.

In addition to attending the Ministerial Meeting, Minister Jonan was also scheduled to hold a number of bilateral meetings with several countries including Japan with the agenda of witnessing the Signing of INPEX Head of Agreement (HoA) for the management of the Masela Block, a source in Maluku waters. (ANTARA)

The Public Works and Public Housing Ministry has prepared a national program to restore the street drainage system.

Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono noted in a statement here on Monday that one of the ministry's infrastructure programs in 2020 pertained to recovery of the street drainage system to be conducted nationwide.

"We have prepared a special national street drainage recovery program. Street drainage work is only a small part in a road construction project, so the contractor did not optimally work on it. In the northern coast of Java, we will reopen the street drainage covered by construction," he revealed.

The Directorate General for Highway Construction (Bina Marga) has prepared the design for the program, Hadimuljono remarked.

He explained that the road drainage system should be connected to the local sewage system to prevent rainwater from accumulating and damaging the streets.

Another program, under the Directorate General of Highway Construction, concerns the development of a suspension bridge in isolated villages in remote areas.

In 2020, the ministry will also renew its ministerial decree in 2015 on the status of national road. The status is to be renewed every five years.

Currently, a total of 47,107 kilometers of road in the country are designated as national road, bearing the white and yellow paint marking.  (ANTARA)

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has reiterated the importance of the next commissioners of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for the 2019-2023 period to possess strong managerial skills.

"The role of the KPK leadership is crucial. We also discussed various issues arising dynamically in the corruption prevention and eradication efforts for this four-year period. The president truly understands and follows the existing dynamism," Yenti Ganarsih, chairperson of the selection team, remarked after meeting with Jokowi at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Monday.

It is a challenge for the nine-member team to select future KPK commissioners with strong managerial skills, Diani Sadia, a member of the team, remarked.

To help identify the right candidates, the team held meetings with the KPK leadership and officials of the Attorney General's office on June 12 as well as with Chief of the Indonesian Police General Tito Karnavian on June 13.

The team had also met with 27 chief editors of print, electronic, and online media.

On July 2, the team is scheduled to hold a meeting with former KPK commissioners, NGO activists, and prominent religious figures.

The team also gathered inputs from officials of various government institutions, including the Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT) and the Anti-Narcotic Agency (BNN).

Those aspiring to become KPK commissioners can apply during the period between June 17 and July 4, 2019. (ANTARA)

Several Dutch investors are to visit West Sumatra in August 2019 to obtain first hand information about the province's renewable energy potentials.

"The Dutch investors plan to come and observe the existing potentials in August," Chief of the West Sumatra Investment and Integrated One-Stop Service Office Maswar Dedi said in Padang, West Sumatra, on Wednesday (June 12).

The renewable energy potentials that attract Dutch investors include energy from waste treatment units at several landfills in the province, he said.

The Dutch expressed interest in investing in renewable energy projects when the West Sumatra delegation took part in the Tong-Tong Festival held in the Netherlands in May this year, he said.

"We took a chance to promote the province's potentials during a business meeting in the Netherlands and received positive responses," he said.

The waste treatment projects to produce renewable energy also benefits the province, since the waste will be managed properly. In fact, the waste management can create jobs, he said.

To date, almost all districts and municipalities in West Sumatra have their own landfills. In addition, there are also two regional landfills to accommodate garbage. However, none of them has had the equipment to produce renewable energy, he said.

Chief of the West Sumatra Environment Office Siti Aisyah earlier said several investors had expressed much interest in processing waste into energy. However, none of them had put in place their investment plans because the daily volume of garbage was not enough to be converted into energy. (ANTARA)