PUBLICATIONS

This update report reviews forest conditions and the environmental and indigenous peoples’ platforms of newly elected governors and vice-governors in 17 provinces following the June 2018 regional elections. These provinces contain 78.8 million hectares of forest—63% of Indonesia’s total forest area—and contributed 83% of national deforestation in 2017. Overall, the candidates’ environmental agendas were largely vague, with only Riau, West Kalimantan, and South Sumatra outlining concrete environmental actions, and almost none explicitly addressing indigenous or local community rights.

Provincial governments play a critical role in forest governance following the 2014 Regional Government Law, which shifted key forestry authority from districts to provinces. This authority is central to peatland protection and restoration, the expansion of social forestry, and the implementation of emissions reduction initiatives such as REDD+, as well as to integrating national climate policies into regional development plans and budgets.