CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
On
November 18, 2008, Governor of the Province of Aceh of the Republic of
Indonesia Irwandi Yusuf was signed a Memorandum of Understanding (Mou) on
Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Land Degradation (REDD) between
several Governor of the States of the USA. The
Memorandum of Understanding commits the California, Illinois and Wisconsin to
work with the governors of six states and provinces within Indonesia and Brazil
to help slow and stop tropical deforestation, a source of roughly 20 percent of
global greenhouse gas emissions. The governors include Governor Antônio Waldez
Góes da Silva of Amapa, Brazil; Governor Eduardo Braga of Amazonas, Brazil;
Governor Blario Maggi of Mato Grosso, Brazil; Governor Ana Júla de Vasconcelos
Carepa of Para, Brazil; Governor Yusof Irwandi of Aceh, Indonesia; and Governor
Barnamas Suebu of Papua, Indonesia.[1]
The
agreement was proposed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation
and land degradation; the signatories of the agreement intend to develop a new
effective plan to cope with that issue. Governor Schwarzenegger said.
"With this agreement, we are focusing our collective efforts on the
problem and requiring our states to jointly develop rules, incentives and tools
to ensure reduced emissions from deforestation and land degradation. We are
also sending a strong message that this issue should be front and center during
negotiations for the next global agreement on climate change."[2]
According to Teuku
Rafli Pasha[3],
Governor Irwandi was invited personally by Arnold Schwarzenegger because he amazed with Irwandi’s
innovative program Aceh Green; Arnold also said that Aceh Green Program will make
Aceh plays a significant role in global scope in order to reduce the emission
of green house effect.[4]
But, based on information expressed by a current
research, Governor Irwandi did not hold a full power to sign the MoU at that
time and they assume that the MoU is illegal. However, according to my analysis
of this case, that is not true, and there are several arguments can support and verify that this MoU is
legal.