Jakarta, November 2, 2021. In his National Statement at the COP26 World Leaders Summit, President Joko Widodo committed to Indonesia's forest and land sector becoming a net carbon sink by 2030. This is also in line with the Global Forest Deal launched in Glasgow, where 100 countries, including Indonesia, pledged to end deforestation by 2030. This is certainly positive progress worthy of appreciation, but without decisive steps, achieving this target may not be achieved. " Therefore, President Jokowi must firmly issue development policies—including national economic recovery—that are consistent with the FOLU net sink agenda and the goal of ending deforestation by 2030. Protecting all remaining natural forest landscapes and peat ecosystems will help Indonesia achieve this aspiration. Currently, there are still 9.6 million hectares of remaining natural forest landscapes that are not protected by the policy of halting new permits and therefore could be threatened, " said Nadia Hadad, Executive Director of the Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation.
" In addition, the President must push for the ratification of the Indigenous Peoples Bill to protect the rights of indigenous communities who are at the forefront of protecting remaining natural forests, as well as accelerate and strengthen social forestry, which has the potential to contribute up to 34.6% to the NDC target of reducing deforestation, " added Nadia Hadad.
Meanwhile, Yosi Amelia, Forest and Climate Program Officer at the Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation, added that to prevent forest and land fires, the government must also accelerate peatland restoration by including all burned areas between 2015 and 2019 and encouraging peatland restoration in permit and concession areas. This also includes strengthening regional governments in implementing adaptation and mitigation actions within their jurisdictions and increasing green funding to the regions.
" The President must also halt land conversion plans that are inconsistent with the 2030 FOLU net sink objectives. Natural forests, peat ecosystems, and Indigenous Peoples' territories within the Food Estate Area of Interest must be excluded and protected from conversion. Currently, there are 1.5 million hectares of natural forest within the Food Estate Area of Interest in four provinces alone ," added Yosi Amelia.
Furthermore, after the palm oil moratorium, there needs to be a firm and written policy to stop issuing new palm oil plantation permits in areas with natural forests and peat ecosystems and to focus entirely on increasing productivity. " If it is not stopped, approximately 1.73 million hectares of natural forest in Convertible Production Forest (HPK) areas that are not protected by the Indicative Map for the Cessation of New Permits (PIPPIB), outside the Indicative Map of Social Forestry Areas (PIAPS), and outside existing permits could be threatened ," said Trias Fetra, Program Officer for Palm Oil Governance at the Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation.
" If the ongoing resolution of palm oil permits in Forest Areas includes areas that still have natural forests and peat ecosystems, approximately 0.76 million hectares of natural forest could also be impacted by Forest Area release. If all of this natural forest is lost, up to 78% of Indonesia's deforestation quota to achieve its 2020-2030 Updated NDC target will be exhausted ," added Trias Fetra.
President Joko Widodo's commitment to utilizing renewable energy, including biofuels, also requires firm enforcement of safeguards to prevent the clearing of natural forests and peat ecosystems. " Diversifying biofuel feedstocks, away from solely focusing on palm oil, is crucial to avoid competition for raw materials for food and energy, and thus prevent land expansion in natural forests and peatlands ," said M. Arief Virgy, Program Officer for Biofuel Governance at the Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation.
Media Contact:
Nadia Hadad, Executive Director of the Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation, HP. 0811 132 081
Yosi Amelia, Forest and Climate Program Officer, Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation, HP. 0813 2217 1803
Trias Fetra, Program Officer for Palm Oil Governance at the Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation, HP. 0877 4403 0366
M. Arief Virgy, Biofuel Governance Program Officer, Madani Berkelanjutan Foundation, HP. 0877 0899 4241
