International Launch of Indonesia-GGGI Green Growth Program at 3GF in Copenhagen

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Oct. 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to accelerate the realization of sustainable economic growth with equity, the Government of Indonesia, supported by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), released their first joint report entitled Prioritizing Investments: Delivering Green Growth. The report highlights that green growth must lie at the heart of economic development planning.

Vice Minister to the Ministry of National Development Planning, Lukita Tuwo, head of Indonesian Delegation to the Global Green Gorwth Forum (3GF), said, "What is required to advance green growth in Indonesia is a systematic approach with concrete steps that take us from where we are today to our vision for a green economy." The Government of Indonesia and the Global Green Growth Institute has begun implementing a program on Green Growth in Indonesia. The program will be implemented by the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) along with a number of ministries and agencies, including local governments.

Green Growth is the pathway to inclusive and sustainable growth. The Green Growth program recognizes that the lasting growth and prosperity of a country are not only reflected by the nation's GDP, but also depend on the quality of the environment, healthy and productive ecosystems, resilient and socially inclusive and equitable. Green Growth will help Indonesia achieve their pro-growth, pro-job, pro-poor, and pro-environment national development agenda.

At the 3GF, Vice Minister Lukita took the opportunity to launch the Program internationally to encourage government partners and green investors to collaborate with Indonesia in its move towards green growth. According to the Vice Minister, the Green Growth program is also an effort by the Government of Indonesia to achieve an emission reduction target (reduction of greenhouse gas effects) to 26%, or 41% with international assistance, by 2020, without sacrificing economic growth. "It is a program to balance the economic growth with the environmental sustainability so that we will have a sustainable future," he said.

The Green Growth Program was officially launched in Indonesia by the Minister of National Development Planning Armida Alisyahbana and GGGI's Director General Howard Bamsey, in Jakarta on June 18, 2013.

The Report further highlights the innovative approach of this new joint Program, which is developing a green growth framework and a suite of tools that can be used to help mainstream green growth into existing planning and investment appraisal processes.

Last month, Chairman of the GGGI Council, Lars Rasmussen, together with Vice Minister Lukita, led a delegation which met with Vice President Boediono in Jakarta. The meeting served to reaffirm GGGI's strong relationship with the Government of Indonesia.

The Green Growth Program has three program components - incorporate a green growth strategy in Indonesia's economic development planning, mobilize current funding from Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) to catalyze Green Growth, and support the development of green growth strategies with two provincial governments: Central Kalimantan and East Kalimantan.

Director-General of GGGI Howard Bamsey is optimistic about cooperation between GGGI and the Indonesian Government. "The pace of our engagement with Indonesian institutions and partners has really quickened, key relationships are being built and strengthened, and we are beginning to show real results. This is in large part due to the enthusiastic engagement of the Indonesian government and President Yudhoyono's commitment to green growth," he said.