Myanmar is “fully committed” to green growth as it navigates a transition to a more open country, a minister said.
U Win Tun, union minister for environmental conservation and forestry, said at the Forests Asia Summit in Jakarta that the government is “fully committed to climate change mitigation and sustainable forest management” as it seeks to transform itself politically, economically and socially after years of isolation.
Observers are keen to see whether Myanmar can maintain the growth in its newly liberalised economy without damaging its forested landscapes – a path that many of its more-developed neighbours have taken in recent decades.
The minister also discussed development of production forests with the Indonesian Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan.
“Myanmar wants to learn about the land concession system and ways to transform forest areas into a production forest from Indonesia,” Zulkifli told Indonesian media.
The Indonesian minister was expected to accompany U Win Tun to view the forest business that was started by state-owned forestry company PT Perhutani.
Zulkifli said Myanmar is interested in the management of forests in Indonesia because it has similar forest conditions as Indonesia. Currently, Indonesia has 300 wood processing companies of which 20 percent are managed by the local community.
U Win Tun said Myanmar is interested in studying the way Indonesia manages its forest areas to transforms them into a production forest, while also maintaining the environment and biodiversity of the forest.
