The Government of Indonesia met with the Mission 2020 team, as well as key development partners to discuss ways to accelerate Indonesia’s transition to sustainable energy and climate-resilient future.

Themed “Fast-tracking Indonesia’s Transition to Sustainable Energy & Climate-resilient Future”, the Mission 2020 Roundtable was held in Jakarta on 18 February 2019, led by Christiana Figueres and hosted by GGGI. Ms. Figueres was a former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (2010 to 2016) and is a convener of Mission 2020, a global initiative that seeks to drive urgent action to limit the effects of climate change, particularly for the most vulnerable people and countries, by reaching a turning point on greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.

During her visit to Indonesia on 18-19 February 2019, Ms. Figueres reviewed and discussed Indonesia’s progress towards achieving the goals it set in Paris, its renewable energy target, and the country’s efforts to securing access for the Indonesian people to clean and affordable energy. The visit was intended to help identify ways Ms. Figueres and her Mission 2020 team to use its convening power and strong network of international contacts to help accelerate international support and investment in Indonesia’s energy future.

The roundtable was attended by high-level officials, development partners, and guests including J. Rizal Primana, Director of Energy, Minerals and Mining Resources of the Ministry of National Development Planning, Prof. Arief Anshory Yusuf from the Economics Faculty of Padjadjaran University, Verania Andria, Senior Advisor for Sustainable Energy Strategic Program and Policies of UNDP Indonesia, Darwin Trisna Djajawinata, President Director of PT Sarana Multi Infrastruktur, Ismène Stalpers, Director of SNV Netherlands Development Organization, Nirarta Samadhi, Director of WRI Indonesia, Paul Butarbutar from Indonesia Renewable Energy Society, Filda Yusgiantoro from the Purnomo Yusgiantoro Center, among others.

Participants discussed opportunities and challenges facing the low carbon transition in Indonesia as well as innovations in the country’s energy sector to encourage and accelerate renewable energy development. The roundtable concluded with Ms. Figueres expressing appreciation towards plans and actions that Indonesia has put in place, and introducing the word “gragent”, implying that energy transition and transformation needs to be gradual, but urgent at the same time. “Yes, transformation needs to be gradual, but also urgent. All of these issues as well as investments in the next 5-10 years are truly going to determine Indonesia’s future,” she says.