Indonesia and Malaysia agreed to cooperate in oil palm development as a renewable energy source.
The agreement was disclosed by Malaysian Plantation and Commodity Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok and Indonesian Deputy Minister of Agriculture Bayu Krisnamurthi after a meeting with the European Commission in Brussels Tuesday.
The Joint Statement of the two countries was made after a series of discussions with Jane Potocnik of the European Union’s Environment Commission Connie Hedegaar of the Climate Action Commission, Guntter Oettinger of the Energy and Development Commission, and chairman of the Plant Development Committee Paolo de Castro.
After the meetings the two ministers held a luncheon with members of the European Parliament and host Martin Callanan. Also present was Indonesian ambassador to Belgium, Luxemburg and the European Union Arif Havas Oegroseno.
Bayu Krisnamurthi also said that the issue touched in the discussions included a directive decision of 2009/28/EC on promotion of the use of energy from renewable energy resources, and sustainable oil palm production.
Also discussed was indirect land use change (ILUC), biofuel certification, and revision of renewable energy.
For Indonesia and Malaysia the oil palm industry, having absorbed more than eight million workers in the two countries, is very important in economic development.
The two countries also agreed to develop renewable energy from palm oil with its many benefits, both for Indonesia and Malaysia.
