JAKARTA – Deputy Minister of Environment Diaz Hendropriyono led Indonesia’s delegation at the BRICS High-Level Meeting on Climate Change and Sustainable Development, held at the SERPRO office in Brazil.

The forum gathered deputy minister-level representatives from BRICS member states, with Indonesian Ambassador to Brazil, Edi Yusup, also in attendance.

During the meeting, Deputy Minister Diaz highlighted Indonesia’s success in community-driven climate initiatives, emphasizing the country’s continued commitment to global climate action.

“Our President, Prabowo Subianto, has announced that Indonesia will achieve Net Zero Emissions a decade earlier than initially planned, moving the target from 2060 to 2050, aligning with Brazil,” Diaz informed the delegates.

He underscored the vital role of grassroots efforts in achieving this goal. “With more than 83,000 villages, Indonesia sees local communities not merely as recipients of climate policies but as key players in the national strategy,” he said.

Diaz also presented two flagship programs for climate change mitigation and adaptation that directly involve rural communities: the Desa Mandiri Peduli Mangrove (Mangrove Care Independent Village) and the Climate Village Program (Proklim).

The Mangrove Care Independent Village initiative, led by the Peatland and Mangrove Restoration Agency (BRGM), encourages villages to voluntarily manage and protect mangrove ecosystems.

“By preserving mangroves, communities gain economic benefits through ecotourism, silvofishery, and aquaculture. Additionally, this program plays a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” Deputy Minister Diaz explained. (*)