Tunas Sawa Group’s Palm Oil Plantation
Palm oil is part of a wider agri-commodity sector that supports carbon sink and net zero emissions (NZE) programs.
Bisnis.com, JAKARTA – The Indonesian government is inviting stakeholders to back its plans to meet net zero emissions (NZE) targets by 2060 or earlier. The palm oil industry is part of a wider agri-commodity sector that supports carbon sink and NZE programs.
Compared to their peers, which soak up 6 tons of CO2 annually, oil palms can take in 25 tons of CO2 over the same period, said the director general of NRE (new, renewable energy) and energy conservation Dadan Kusdiana. This makes the variety a carbon-absorbing plant, just like woody trees.
And it also consumes 161 tons of CO2 per ha per year during photosynthesis, Henson (1999) found. Minus the carbon released in respiration, this leaves a whopping 64.5 tons sequestered each year.
“The plant helps absorb carbon dioxide fumes. Multiple studies have shown that it takes up a greater amount of carbon dioxide than any other species,” said Kusdiana in an online discussion hosted by the Forum of Agricultural Journalists (Forwatan) in Jakarta, Thursday (2023/5/25).
In the event titled “Palm Oil Industry’s Contribution to Indonesia’s Net Zero Emissions Target Achievement”, he shared how oil palm’s role in cutting emissions plays out through a mandatory biodiesel program.
The country is now the biggest user of this type of diesel worldwide, beating countries including Malaysia.
“We will continue to increase biofuel usage, whether in the form of biodiesel or other vegetable-based fuels like bioethanol or biogas,” Kusdiana vowed.
Moving from conventional diesel to its environmentally-friendly counterpart is also said to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 – 60 percent.
A study by the European Commission’s Joint Research Center points out that POME-based biodiesel, which is made using methane capture, is able to lower carbon amounts by 62 percent.
At home, the government is pushing for a technological approach to convert plant-derived oil — such as palm oil — into petrol or diesel.
During the talk on Thursday, Tunas Sawa Erma (TSE) Group director Luwy Leunufna revealed commitments to adhere to local rules and regulations to limit greenhouse gas discharges. As a natural resources firm, TSE Group is aware of the urgency to take part in global-scale efforts to reach net zero emissions.
To demonstrate its promise, TSE Group uses Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) standards to define “emissions goals”. SBTi is an initiative that develops and promotes scientific methods to align corporate emissions targets with the Paris Agreement.
With this tool, the company will set objectives and take necessary actions to curb global warming to below 1.5°C. TSE Group will also report the progress of these actions in a transparent and consistent manner through the SBTi platform and other relevant mechanisms.
“In the next two years, we will establish near-term and long-term targets, which will encompass all our operational activities and supply chain and take into account carbon sequestration potential from the plantations and forests we manage,” said Leunufna.
For everyone’s information, Indonesia announced its E-NDC (Enhanced Nationally Determined Contribution) to the UNFCC on 23 September 2022, with aims to slash carbon by 31.89 percent and 43.20 percent. To this, Leunufna affirmed his stance that TSE Group is standing behind the government’s efforts to demonstrate this commitment, and pledges to collaborate with other stakeholders to drive the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Source: Bisnis Indonesia
