BALINEWSID.COM, NEW YORK — Indonesia has called for global climate commitments to be translated into concrete action that delivers tangible benefits for people, rather than remaining limited to targets and pledges.

The message was delivered by Environment Minister and Head of the Environmental Control Agency Moh Jumhur Hidayat during the Interactive Leaders Dialogue at the Climate Summit 2026 on Climate Action and the Just Transition at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on Wednesday (Sept. 23).

The high-level forum was held as part of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly ahead of the 31st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31).

Jumhur said Indonesia was committed to translating global climate commitments into cross-sector policies that balance economic growth, energy security, poverty reduction and environmental protection.

“The Paris Agreement is our compass. However, as the space to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius becomes increasingly narrow, our task is to bridge global commitments with real outcomes,” Jumhur said.

Indonesia has set a target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2060 or earlier through its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). The government said climate action would be integrated into national development policies rather than pursued separately from economic and social priorities.

Among the measures highlighted by Indonesia were reducing emissions from waste and methane, industrial decarbonization, developing low-carbon industries, the responsible deployment of Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS), expanding large-scale solar power and implementing a B50 biodiesel policy to strengthen energy security.

Indonesia also highlighted electric vehicle development as part of its low-carbon industrial transformation and efforts to increase domestic value-added industries.

Jumhur stressed that the transition to a low-carbon economy must take into account its impact on communities.

“The transition must be just, orderly, state-led and people-centered,” he said.

He said the success of the transition should not be measured solely by technological development or investment value, but also by affordable energy, decent jobs, increased local value creation, protection for vulnerable groups and tangible environmental benefits.

Indonesia also held three Solution Dialogues during the climate summit, focusing on climate finance, adaptation finance in an era of temperature overshoot and methane reduction.

On climate finance, Indonesia emphasized the need for funding aligned with the implementation of its NDC and National Adaptation Plan.

The government called for greater access to grants and concessional financing to support climate-risk data, early warning systems, ecosystem protection, local government capacity and community-based climate action.

Indonesia also advocated timely, adequate and accessible support for loss and damage for countries and communities facing the impacts of extreme weather events.

On methane emissions, Indonesia highlighted that methane accounted for 18.12 percent of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions in 2022. Efforts to reduce methane emissions include improving waste and wastewater management, promoting a circular economy, strengthening Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) systems and enhancing local government capacity.

The government said methane reduction could deliver benefits beyond climate mitigation, including improvements in air quality and public health.

As an archipelagic country, Indonesia is also placing climate adaptation alongside mitigation in its climate policy. Among the measures highlighted was the development of the Giant Sea Wall along Java’s northern coast, as well as the restoration of mangrove and coastal ecosystems.

The initiatives are intended to protect communities and development areas from sea-level rise and other climate-related risks.

Ahead of COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, Indonesia is pushing for credible progress in implementing and strengthening the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG).

Indonesia stressed that multilateral climate cooperation should deliver tangible protection and development opportunities, particularly for countries and communities most vulnerable to climate impacts.

“Indonesia stands ready to deepen partnerships that turn climate ambition into real development opportunities and resilience for all,” Jumhur said.

The Climate Summit 2026 was opened by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and attended by heads of state and government, international organization leaders, multilateral financial institutions, business representatives, local governments, civil society groups and youth representatives.

Among the leaders attending were Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. and Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley.