New York, 13 July 1998.- Today Ambassador Makarim Wibisono, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Indonesia to the United Nations, signed the "Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change". The signing symbolizes the full commitment of the Government of Indonesia to fulfill the objectives of the Convention.

Indonesia has, in fact, consistently pursued its national development programmes by formulating policies designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These concrete actions demonstrate the importance that Indonesia attaches to this major environmental problem and its commitment to achieving the objectives of the Convention.

As an equatorial, tropical, and archipelagic state, that is also home to some of the world's largest tropical forests, Indonesia has a unique role to play as a carbon sink while at the same time very vulnerable to sea level rises. In addition in recent times, Indonesia has experienced some major environmental disasters, due largely to widespread drought and forest fires which were aggravated by the El-Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO). These problems are strongly related to the phenomenon of climate change and Indonesia is thus more than ever aware of the adverse effects of climate change.

With few viable options at its disposal due to limited national capacities and the lack of environmentally sound technology development, Indonesia must count on international cooperation between Annex I and Non-Annex I Parties if it is to effectively implement the Convention. New and additional financial resources as well as the transfer of environmentally sound technology should be sought to ensure that the convention is successful implemented and that the ultimate objective, the stabilization of the greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere, is effectively met.

Indonesia believes that time is running out on our ability of bringing global warming under manageable proportions. Ever since the "Industrial Revolution" humans have been eroding the environment capital at alarming rates so that to-day climate change constitutes one of the greatest challenges facing mankind. It is therefore important that the developed countries should demonstrate their commitment to control such global warming by both seeking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and, more importantly, by adopting environmentally friendly patterns of production and consumption. The success of the Kyoto Protocol can best be measured by a significant reduction in emissions particularly to be undertaken by the developed country Parties. The participation of the developing country Parties is also important but, due to their relatively low per-capita GHG emissions, does not compare to the serious adverse impact of the developed countries on the environment. Thus, it is imperative that those developed countries that have not yet done so, should now sign the Kyoto protocol.