Cablegate: Noaa Asst. Administrator Spinrad's Visit to Indonesia

VZCZCXRO7679
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #2712/01 2690222
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 260222Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6438
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0853
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4337
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1249
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4216
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 8161
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0688
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JAKARTA 002712

SIPDIS

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SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR IO, OES/EGC, OES/IET AND EAP/MTS
DEPT ALSO PASS TO DEPT OF COMMERCE/NOAA/RSPINRAD/REPPI
BANGKOK FOR USAID/RDMA

E.O. 12598: N/A
TAGS: EAID TPHY ECON PREL ID
SUBJECT: NOAA ASST. ADMINISTRATOR SPINRAD'S VISIT TO INDONESIA

1. (U) Summary. Assistant Administrator of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the Office of Oceanic and
Atmospheric Research (OAR), Richard Spinrad, participated in a
series of meetings on tsunami monitoring, climate change, and future
collaboration on September 17-21 in Jakarta and Banda Aceh. Dr.
Spinrad signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry
of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DKP) on scientific cooperation
and a Letter of Intent on the use of Indonesian research vessels
with the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology
(BPPT) and the Marine and Fisheries Research Agency (BRKP). Dr.
Spinrad and Ambassador Hume presided over the launch of the second
Deep-Ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART II) buoy
provided to the Indian Ocean region under the USAID Indian Ocean
Tsunami Warning System (IOTWS) program in a ceremony in Jakarta on

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September 19. End Summary.

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NOAA AND DKP SIGN MOU ON SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION
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2. (U) In a ceremony at DKP on September 18, Dr. Spinrad signed a
MOU on scientific collaboration with Dr. Widi Agoes Praktikto,
Secretary General of DKP. During the ceremony, Praktikto explained

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that DKP was short on human resources in its marine sector and would
appreciate assistance under the Sea Grant program for training and
extension services. He added that DKP would like to cooperate
further with the U.S. to ensure that Indonesian aquaculture meets
U.S. regulatory standards. Praktikto indicated that Government of
Indonesia (GOI) officials were still debating the implementation of
the Coastal Zone and Small Islands Act, and that DKP would
appreciate assistance and U.S. expertise on the sustainable
management of small islands and coastal zones. Dr. Spinrad replied
that NOAA could follow up the MOU with cooperative activities in
these areas in the future. Praktikto explained that DKP plans to
create a new Director-General position specifically for
international cooperation.

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DART/ATLAS BUOYS LAUNCHED IN JAKARTA CEREMONY
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3. (U) On September 19, Ambassador Hume and Dr. Spinrad presided
over the launch ceremony for a DART II buoy, the joint
U.S.-Indonesia contribution to the USAID-funded IOTWS. The launch
included four additional ATLAS climate-monitoring buoys, which BPPT
will maintain. Chairman Said Jenie of BPPT officiated. The
ceremony took place on board the Indonesian research vessel Baruna
Jaya III, which will take the buoys to their monitoring locations
off the coast of Sumatra. During the ceremony, Dr. Spinrad,
Chairman Said, and Dr. Indroyono Soesilo, Chairman of the Agency for
Marine and Fisheries Research signed a Letter of Intent on the use
of Indonesian ship time in exchange for future NOAA collaboration
and knowledge-sharing. Immediately following the ceremony, BPPT held
a press conference on the deck of the Baruna Jaya III. Local and
international media, including CNN, reported the story.

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DART II SUCCESS DRIVES REQUESTS FOR MORE COLLABORATION
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4. (U) State Ministry of Research and Technology (RISTEK) officials
praised the launch of the DART II buoy, citing its importance to
improving Indonesia's tsunami-monitoring capabilities. RISTEK plans
to implement an Indonesian tsunami warning system by the end of 2008
and requested U.S. help in building their technical capacity.
Indonesian Meteorological Agency (BMG) scientists and BPPT officials
also requested future collaboration with NOAA.

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STATUS OF THE INDONESIA TSUNAMI EARLY WARNING SYSTEM
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5. (U) Deputy Minister for the Utilization and Dissemination of
Science and Technology Suhardi and Assistant to the Deputy Minister
for Analysis of Science and Technology Needs Pariatmono of RISTEK
stated that while progress in development of the Indonesian Tsunami
Early Warning System (INA-TEWS) is adequate, more work remains
before the system's planned launch in December 2008. RISTEK has
installed over 160 seismometers and accelerometers, nine tide

JAKARTA 00002712 002 OF 003

stations, and 120 Radio and Internet for the Communication of
Hydro-Meteorological and Climate Related Information (RANET) local
communications systems. While there is progress on
tsunami-detecting buoy development, neither the German nor

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Indonesian buoy systems are currently operational. The U.S. DART II
buoy launched on September 19 and its companion launched in December
2006 remain the only operational Indian Ocean tsunami detection
systems. RISTEK also stressed the importance of community
preparedness as integral to the INA-TEWS success.

6. (U) BMG reported satisfaction with its performance during the
Bengkulu earthquake on September 12 and 13. BMG issued tsunami
warnings within five minutes of the quake start based on the
earthquake's strength and location to the areas a tsunami would most
likely affect. In its report to NOAA, BMG stated it received
tsunami notification from NOAA's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center

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(PTWC), but it was not clear whether or how BMG used PTWC products.
This is consistent with Indonesia's concern that the international
community views it as a capable operator of its own tsunami warning
system.

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PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
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7. (SBU) NOAA met with the President of Conoco-Phillips Indonesia,
Trond-Erik Johansen, on September 20 to discuss possible
collaboration on a public-private partnership to help implement an
Indonesian tsunami warning system. Johansen indicated that
Conoco-Phillips would be interested in participating in a
partnership, adding that the program is attractive because it is
proactive and that it should include capacity-building components.
NOAA and Embassy Jakarta will draft a proposal for Conoco-Phillips
to review by mid-October. Johansen also expressed interest in
possible cooperative research and development opportunities with
NOAA, such as using Conoco-Phillips offshore sites as platforms for
climate and ocean observation systems. The Conoco-Phillips meeting
followed previous meetings in May and July with other potential
donors. Interest remains high in a public-private partnership.

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CLIMATE CHANGE DISCUSSIONS AND PRIORITIES
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8. (U) Prior to the NOAA-DKP MOU signing ceremony on September 18,
Dr. Spinrad and Ambassador Hume met with DKP Minister Numberi, who
raised the Coral Triangle Initiative and stressed that there is a
need for immediate action to prepare for the impacts of climate
change and rising sea levels. He also highlighted the need for
Indonesian technical capacity building to address climate change.
Spinrad explained that the international community should address
ocean acidification in any discussion on coral reefs. Both Spinrad
and Numberi stressed the importance of cooperation and that ocean
data is key for climate forecasts and dealing with climate change.
Minister Numberi added that Indonesia needs help with education and
awareness on climate change. He stated that there will be a side
event at COP-13 on the World Oceans Conference, scheduled for 2009
in Manado.

9. (U) In a meeting with the Ministry of Environment (MOE) on
September 19, Deputy Minister Masnellyarti Hilman identified the
agriculture and fisheries sectors as the ministry's top climate
service priorities. Hilman explained that lack of funding has led
to gaps in MOE and BMG's abilities to map and monitor weather
patterns and climate change, which leads to delays in identifying,
responding, and communicating during disasters. MOE identified a
need to gain more immediate access to data, to improve the use of
that data to aid in guiding climate predication and climate change
adaptation, and to educate local governments and communities on how
to use weather and climate data. NOAA recommended a workshop with
MOE to discuss collaboration, identification of mutually important
needs for climate services and information sharing.

10. (U) On September 20, Dr. Spinrad hosted a roundtable discussion
on climate change with local NGOs, academics and GOI officials. The
group discussed climate change and weather data standards and
monitoring, the role of NOAA, and potential collaboration in
Indonesia. Meeting participants stated that President Yudhoyono has
requested Indonesian climate change experts to develop a national

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climate change action plan to present at the upcoming Conference of
Parties (COP) meeting in Bali in December. The plan will include
both mitigation and adaptation plans. Meeting participants were
skeptical as to whether Indonesia could develop a good climate
change roadmap without accurate climate data.

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INDONESIA - REALLY THE NUMBER THREE EMITTER?
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11. (U) In several climate change discussions, GOI officials
questioned Indonesia's number three ranking on the list of the
world's highest greenhouse gas emitters. Meeting participants cited
a BMG study that found carbon levels in the country to be below the
world average. Dr. Spinrad emphasized the importance of consistent
and standardized data and shared information on NOAA's new Carbon
Tracker tool to measure carbon sources and sinks around the world.
He thanked Indonesia for its sustained contribution to the global
carbon dioxide monitoring program and stressed the value of
increased observations.

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IMPROVED COMMUNICATION THE FOCUS OF ACEH VISIT
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12. (U) Dr. Spinrad visited the Banda Aceh region of Sumatra on
September 21. He met with the local BMG representative, officials
from the Governor's office, representatives from both Aceh's
disaster response committee (SATKORLAK) and the American Red Cross,
and toured some of the areas most affected by the December 2004
tsunami. Meeting participants stressed the importance of improving

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communication, specifically between Aceh and Jakarta, to mitigate
and respond to disasters.

HEFFERN

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