JAKARTA — Civil society organizations in Indonesia are getting a boost to ensure their participation in the country’s clean energy transition and land stewardship, amid an increasingly hostile climate for groups advocating for environmental and social rights. Four new projects launched June 27 by the European Union delegation to Indonesia are designed to strengthen CSO capacity and participation in the fields of land-use governance and the energy transition; support for Indigenous peoples and local communities; gender equality and youth empowerment; and human rights monitoring and advocacy. Denis Chaibi, the EU ambassador to Indonesia, said the projects aligned with the Indonesian government’s goals of transitioning away from fossil fuels, reducing deforestation while increasing reforestation, and ultimately achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2060. To ensure these goals are met, there needs to be meaningful participation from CSOs as they’re a vital part of Indonesia’s democracy, Chaibi said. “There’s no point in putting a lot of rules if people don’t follow the rules, if they are not convinced. So it’s about the conviction of people, and for that it has to be an inclusive approach,” he said on the sidelines of the project launch in Jakarta. “The people have to be consulted. The people have to provide solutions. They have to give their feedback.” Meaningful civic participation will also help ensure the government’s development agenda isn’t focused solely on reducing carbon emissions, but also benefits the public, according to Damayanti Buchori, director of the Center for Transdisciplinary and Sustainability Sciences at the…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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