Adianto P. Simamora,

Indonesia has invited environment ministers from developed nations to find a solution to the contentious issues of emission reduction targets and transfer of funds and technology to combat climate change.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono made the invitation for environment ministers from the Group of 8 developed nations -- Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States -- during last week's G8 Summit in Hokkaido, Japan.

"President Yudhoyono asked me to organize the meeting for G8 environment ministers in New York, before the conference of parties on climate change is held in Poland," State Minister for the Environment Rachmat Witoelar said.

"I will ask UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to formally invite the G8 ministers for the meeting."

Poland will host the climate change conference in December, with the main agenda set to focus on emission reduction targets needed when the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.

"The meeting with G8 ministers is also crucial since they control 60 percent of the world's economy. We expect them to take concrete steps to finance climate change issues, including adaptation and technology transfer," said Rachmat, who is also president of the UN's climate change conference (UNFCC).

Leaders of China, India, Brazil and Indonesia were invited to the G8 Summit, which failed to set out a clear objective on curbing greenhouse gas emissions, despite endorsing a vague goal to halve pollution by 2050.

"We are disappointed with the developed nations' reluctance to agree to the 2020 target as stipulated in the Bali road map. If they agree to the long-term reductions, there must be a sustained target in the short to middle term," Rachmat said.

"We are tired of having to remind them about the Bali road map. The emission reduction target is nothing special because they agreed to it in Bali."

G8 negotiators agreed in last year's meeting to take the lead in the carbon reductions in response to climate change, which is blamed for rising sea levels, warmer temperatures and unpredictable weather.

Developing nations, including Indonesia, are the most vulnerable to climate change.

Rachmat said Indonesia was committed to controlling emissions and had established a national climate change council.

The council, chaired by President Yudhoyono with Rachmat as executive chairman, was launched in Jakarta last Friday.

It includes 18 ministers, and is aimed at helping expedite the implementation of national programs to tackle and mitigate climate change.