Indonesia’s incoming government is being urged to remain committed to ongoing efforts to reduce carbon emissions, reports the Jakarta Post through an interview with the chairman of the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation plus (REDD+) Management Agency, Heru Prasetyo.

During the interview, Prasetyo discusses Indonesia’s commitment to reducing its carbon emissions by between 26 and 41 per cent by 2020. Much of this reduction has to come from the forestry and agriculture sectors.

In 2014 the REDD+ Management Agency began operations in order to bring about institutional development and increased coordination, update regulations, develop reporting systems and make changes in the legal system and law enforcement.

Prasetyo explains that efforts towards the goal of reducing emissions are at the core of the agencies work, such as empowering indigenous communities to reclaim their land, delineating forest boundaries and keeping companies in check.

He is hopeful that given the support Indonesia has received from the international community, the new government will build on these efforts, in particular the jurisdictional approach that supports governors or regents - in concert with the central government - to conduct license audits and crack down on illegal logging practices.

Read the full story: With work still to be done, new govt should continue REDD+ plan