Choose Environment Loving Regional Heads: President

Jakarta, June 10 (Antara) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono hopes the Indonesian people to vote for governors, district heads and mayors who love the environment. "Choose regional heads who love the environment. The true love of the environment is not merely demonstrated during election campaigns," he said at a function marking the World Environment Day at the State Palace here on Monday. The head of state said the country has enacted law number 32 of 2009 on environment protection and management to preserve the environment. To implement the law, the government has issued presidential regulation number 61 of 2011 on national action plan for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, government regulation number 27 of 2012 on environmental permits and presidential instruction number 6 of 2013 on moratorium on the issuance of new forestry permits, he said. Therefore, he added that all regional heads must abide by the law and regulations. "I don`t want to see anymore district heads deal with the KPK (corruption eradication commission), police, and public prosecutor`s office in connection with permits. The permits must be suited not only to the environment standard but also to the law in force. Make yourselves a pioneer and role model to implement the government regulations as properly as possible," he said. The President also underscored the importance of teaching students environmental awareness as early as possible. In this regard, he has instructed Education and Culture Minister M Nuh to incorporate environmental subject to the elementary education curriculum. Indonesia is the world`s third� largest tropical forest country. However, it is one of the world`s biggest greenhouse gas emitters. In 2009, President Yudhoyono pledged to cut Indonesia`s greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent from business as usual levels by 2020, and by 41 percent with international assistance. Since then, Norway has committed US$1 billion to help Indonesia meet that target. In May 2011 the government issued a two-year moratorium on new forestry concessions. The moratorium was extended for another two years in May this year.