FORCLIME actively participated in the celebration of the International Day of Forest (IDF) in Indonesia which is organized by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) since 2015. The MoEF held a series of events, which took place at the Manggala Wanabakti premises, Jakarta from 21 – 24 March 2017.

During the IDF celebration, FORCLIME presented at the exhibition and conducted a talkhow on Promoting Bioenergy and Biobased Products from the Forestry Sector. Panels of the talkshow included representative of Directorate Environmental Services and Non Timber Forest Products, the Head of Center of Forest Research and Development, the Dean of Forestry Faculty of Mulawarman University, and the chairman of Masyarakat Pegiat Energi Biomassa Hutan Indonesia (MAPEBHI), an NGO focuses on forest biomass for energy. Some notes from the talkshow, as follows:

• The potential of forests to supply more energy and biobased product is extraordinary, however, has not been well explored. Additionally, this resource can be part of the economic transformation of the industry-based/conventional products towards advanced material products with high economic value.
• Potency for bioenergy that has not been utilized is not only sourced from plantation forests for energy but also using wastes from the processes of logging, timber industry and wood processing.
• Need to promote stronger policies to support bioenergy and other biobased product development in the forestry sector.
• Need to harmonize the upstream-downstream supplies, in addition to integration between sectors to ensure bioenergy and other biobased value chains products.
• Need to develop overall strategy, which covers sustainability aspect and the impacts.

In December 2012, the United Nations declared March 21 of every year as the International Day of Forest, with the aim to celebrating and raising awareness of the public on the importance of all types of forests and trees grow outside the forests. This year’s theme is Forest and Energy.

For more information about the talkshow, please contact:
Tunggul Butarbutar, Senior Adviser on Sustainable Forest Management