Bali, 16 March 2016 - This year's fifth International Conference on Oil Palm and Environment (ICOPE) was inaugurated by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Dr. Darmin Nasution. Following the COP 21 meeting in Paris last year which reached a global consensus to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, this conference aims to focus on scientific solutions on climate change mitigation and adaptation for the palm oil industry.

Under the theme ""Sustainable Palm Oil and Climate Change: The Way Forward through Mitigation and Adaptation", ICOPE 2016 attracts nearly 400 leading international scientists, government officials, civil society and industry representatives, senior researchers and academics from 17 countries. Delegates will discuss issues ranging from the dynamics of future El Niño or La Niña events, how the palm oil industry can play a role in mitigating and adapting to climate change to maintain its high productivity, the challenges faced by smallholders and plasma farmers and how to help them overcome their challenges. Also discussed will be the calculation of the carbon footprint and emission reductions from the palm oil industry.

Through this conference, the application of the latest technology, high-yielding seeds, and best agricultural practices to adapt to climate change will be discussed.

The palm oil sector can play an important role in helping to meet Indonesia's Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC), which targets a 29 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 through independent efforts, and a 41 percent reduction with international assistance across all sectors.

In his remarks at the opening of the conference, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Darmin Nasution said, "The government appreciates the three groups representing the main stakeholders in the palm oil sector, namely the private sector represented by PT SMART Tbk, research institutions represented by CIRAD, and environmental NGOs represented by WWF Indonesia for organizing this international scientific forum. We hope that this forum will provide effective solutions and positive suggestions for all stakeholders, including the Government of Indonesia in contributing to reducing greenhouse gas emissions as mandated by COP21.""

Chairman of the ICOPE2016 Steering Committee, Daud Dharsono added, "Climate change is real and we are facing it now. All stakeholders, scientists and practitioners, NGOs and government agencies, independent farmers and the plantation industry, must work together to develop potential and practical options in taking steps to mitigate and adapt to climate change. With the collective knowledge and expertise of all stakeholders, we believe that we can derive scientific solutions to climate change to be applied across the palm oil industry."

Welcoming the international conference, Chairman and CEO of Golden Agri-Resources GAR), Frankly O. Widjaja said, "Palm oil is an industry that plays an important role in realizing Indonesia's low carbon economy. The industry has helped create vast employment opportunities, alleviate poverty and improve welfare for over 16 million Indonesians, both directly and indirectly. One of GAR's missions is to commit to helping smallholders and plasma farmers improve their yields and productivity. Increasing farmers' incomes and limiting deforestation, can improve the performance of the palm oil industry, thus making the industry more sustainable.""

ICOPE is organized every two years by PT SMART Tbk in collaboration with WWF Indonesia and CIRAD France and this year it was held in Bali on March 16 to 18.

***

For more information, please contact:

Bambang Chriswanto, National Corporate and Sustainability Communications Head
Phone: + 62 21 5033 8899/ + 62 21 5038 9999;
Email: bambang.chriswanto@sinarmas-agri.com
Mobile: +62 881 123 5930

Agus Hidayat, Cohn & Wolfe Indonesia;
Phone: +6221 5151536; Email: agus.hidayat@cohnwolfe.com;
Mobile: +62 812 9089597