Indonesia-Singapore Collaboration on CCS/CCUS
On April 22, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan met with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in Singapore to discusscollaboration in agriculture, blue food, and cross-border carbon capture storage (CCS), among other issues such as renewable energy and healthcare.
Highlighting the potential for cross-border CCS as a significant step towards building low-carbon industries, Minister Luhut underscored Indonesia's leading role in developing CCS regulations in the Asia-Pacific. In February 2024, Indonesia issued Presidential Regulation No. 14/2024 on the Implementation of Carbon Capture and Storage Activities as the first step to develop CCS, including the blueprint design of the business and licensing schemes as well as cross-border carbon transport mechanism.
In addition to the discussion on CCS, Minister Luhut proposed to explore potential bilateral cooperation in seaweed farming and agricultural initiatives, which received positive response from Minister Wong. Minister Wong, slated to become Singapore's prime minister in May 2024, has also expressed interest in developing Bali as a wellness tourism destination, signaling a commitment to expanding collaborative efforts between the two nations.