Indonesia's Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, delivered a keynote address on the second day of the Indonesia International Sustainability Forum (IISF) on Friday, 6 September 2024. She highlighted the importance of increasing investment in the clean energy sector to drive sustainable economic growth. "Renewable energy is the future. Energy is not merely a commodity but a driver of economic growth. The world is competing to transition to a low-carbon economy, and Indonesia aims to be part of that," she said, referencing Bloomberg's report last year on the rise of global clean energy investments. Minister Retno emphasized that sustainable development is key to future prosperity, noting that Indonesia continues to use diplomacy to promote global cooperation and sustainable efforts aligned with the SDGs and the Paris Agreement.
She outlined three main priorities for a sustainable future. First, investing in and developing green energy, which requires substantial technological and financial support, including through the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) and the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC), where Indonesia plays a pioneering role. "Indonesia's message is clear: green technology must become a public good, and through IISF, we aim to work closely with the private sector to ensure affordable green technology investment," she stressed. Second, harnessing the vast potential of the blue economy, which is projected to generate over USD 1.5 trillion and create 30 million jobs annually. Indonesia has launched the Blue Economy Roadmap 2023-2045 to develop key sectors like aquaculture and the downstream fisheries industry, aligning economic growth with marine conservation efforts. Lastly, Minister Retno emphasized the need to focus on carbon absorption, highlighting Indonesia's capacity as the third-largest tropical rainforest country and its significant role in carbon absorption. She also reaffirmed Indonesia's long-term strategy for low carbon and climate resilience by 2050 and its roadmap to achieve net zero emissions by 2060 or sooner.
