| Danial Norjidi |
IT IS important to adopt a coordinated and holistic policy approach to put people first as well as to ensure speed and urgency of action in forestry management.
These were some of the points highlighted by Dr Justin Lee, Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, while speaking at a forum session that took place during the recent Asia-Pacific Rainforest Summit 2016 in Brunei Darussalam.
He first spoke on the importance of adopting a holistic policy approach.
“I think many of the challenges we see in addressing forest degradation and deforestation are also related to other issues around agricultural practice, atmospheric pollution, development, and so clearly there is a range of policy issues to be considered together, and the governments should consider them in a holistic way. I also think there are opportunities in that.”
“So again, considering these policies in a holistic way I think is very important for governments and there’s a range of benefits that can come from this in terms of environment governance and economic governance, so it’s a very broad issue.”
The second point was on the importance of engaging with people, people’s participation and the private sector.
“I think in many ways we need to put people first.”
He highlighted the importance of people benefitting from environmental and economic policies.
Dr Justin Lee, Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, at the forum. – BAHYIAH BAKIR
“I’d like to introduce the term ‘trickled down environmentalism’. I think sometimes if we are prioritising environmental issues and climate change, we’re asking people to see the benefits trickle down to them from those environmental actions.
“I think that by putting people first in that, we need to demonstrate that by mainstreaming climate change, environmental causes and forestry policies into our national development policies, show what the benefits are to the people of those areas.”
His third point touched on having a coordinated approach.
“Having so many different policy areas involved, it’s fundamentally important for governments to coordinate both horizontally and vertically with ministries that are responsible for different policy areas and also engage at different levels of government from the national level down to the local levels,” he said, adding that coordination for international partners who would like to be involved is also important.
On another point, Dr Lee underlined the need for speed and urgency of action.
“Clearly we don’t want to move precipitously quickly just doing things for the sake of doing things, but this is an important challenge we really need to deliver.”
He said that this applies to REDD+ activities.
REDD+ refers to efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation, as well as to foster conservation and sustainable management of forests.
“There are a lot of new institutions being developed around the world to progress climate change. I think it is important that REDD+ activities stamp their mark, that there will be competition, there will be private sectors, there will be development activities.
“It’s important to develop those solid methodologies that will continue to attract finance from those resources that are available that really, take those opportunities that are there. Pace of operating is important,” he added.
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