The British Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change, Joan Ruddock, and Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo launched a “British Embassy Act on Copenhagen” campaign on Wednesday.
Ruddock said the United Kingdom and Indonesia shared something in common when it came to understanding the impact of climate change and the two countries could work together.
“We can assist and share experience from local government and contribute to the global reduction of carbon emissions,” she said.
London, she added, like Jakarta, was built below sea level, forcing the government to build expensive infrastructure in order to create a flood barrier to protect the city.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned the world needs massive emissions cuts to reduce atmospheric CO2 concentration levels to prevent average global temperatures from rising by an additional 2 degrees Celsius.
Ruddock said the campaign would include stickers attached to the TransJakarta buses and bajaj (three wheeled taxis) to encourage people who use private cars to take public transportation.
“We all want to use cars, but if we can reduce our dependance on cars and use public transport, it will save energy and improve air quality,” she said.
She said the message was also spread in the UK because 42 percent of the country’s emissions are attributed to homes and personal transport.