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Indonesia’s ambitious carbon emissions reduction target of 26 percent by 2020 could be expanded to 41 percent with expected funding from the United Nations, an official said on Monday.

Dino Patti Djalal, a presidential adviser for international affairs, said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had reiterated the country’s commitment to cut carbon emissions during a meeting on Monday with billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros, acting in his new role as a UN special envoy.

Soros has been named to the High-Level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing, formed recently by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

“The president stressed Indonesia’s commitment to reducing emissions by 26 percent by 2020, and up to 41 percent if international support is forthcoming,” Dino said at the Presidential Office.

The target was first announced at the G-20 summit in the United States last year, making Indonesia one of the first developing countries to commit to a voluntary emissions cut.

The UN advisory group, which brings together presidents, prime ministers and experts, is working to mobilize the funding promised for climate change mitigation during a UN conference in Copenhagen in December.

The Copenhagen Accord focuses on developed countries’ commitments to put together a green fund — $30 billion from 2010 to 2012, and up to $100 billion a year by 2020 — for environmental projects in developing countries.

The funding mechanism is expected to be finalized at a climate change summit in Cancun, Mexico, in November this year.

“The president and Soros had a very constructive conversation on post-Copenhagen progress,” Dino said.

He added that Indonesia would seek most of its carbon reductions in the forestry sector.

Soros said he was in the country to explore ways to generate international support for Indonesia’s efforts.

“I think Indonesia can make a really big contribution to keeping global temperatures steady,” he said.

“I’m very optimistic that we will be able to make substantial headway in that direction. It was probably, I feel, the most fruitful visit I have ever paid to a country to discuss this subject,” he added.

Soros said that by protecting its vast rain forests, Indonesia would make a crucial contribution to the world.

“I think there is therefore a very strong case for providing international support both in the form of loans, but more in the form of grants,” he said.

Soros said Indonesia’s initiative would encourage greater political will to provide support, though he added developed countries were slow off the mark.

“I got involved, became active, exactly because I was dissatisfied with what has been achieved,” he said. “I think every country has to make a contribution.

“The contributions made by many other countries, including my own [the United States], is I think inadequate, and I’m working not only in Indonesia but in every country including my own to step up the effort.”