[Jakarta, 5 December 2023] President Jokowi’s claims of success in reducing carbon emissions and deforestation over the years must not make Indonesia complacent in the face of an increasingly alarming climate crisis. This was conveyed by Nadia Hadad, Executive Director of MADANI Berkelanjutan Foundation, in response to President Joko Widodo’s speech at the G77 and China Summit during the World Climate Action Summit (WCAS) at COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
“President Jokowi presented a number of data points and achievements regarding Indonesia’s success in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation at COP28. However, Indonesia must remain firm in heading toward true net-zero emissions by phasing out fossil fuels—especially considering that data and facts must be viewed comprehensively from multiple perspectives,” said Nadia.
The latest report from the Global Carbon Project (GCP) shows that in 2023 Indonesia ranks among the world’s top ten emitters. Indonesia’s carbon emissions increased by 18.3 percent compared to 2022—the highest increase among all countries. This rise was driven by fossil energy use (particularly coal), land-use change, and continued high deforestation.
Previously, President Jokowi claimed that Indonesia had successfully reduced carbon emissions by 42 percent in 2022 compared to the 2015 Business as Usual (BAU) projection. He also stated that the government has worked hard to improve Forest and Other Land Use (FOLU) governance and accelerate the transition to renewable energy. According to him, Indonesia continues to protect and expand mangroves, rehabilitate forests and degraded land, and has reduced deforestation to its lowest level in the past 20 years.
According to Nadia, despite these reported achievements, many critical issues and unfinished tasks remain. “When we examine these emission reduction claims alongside the latest GCP report, we underline the importance of making the data publicly accessible as a form of transparency and allowing public participation to validate these achievements at the ground level. While we appreciate the government’s success in reducing the rate of deforestation, there are still inconsistencies among Indonesia’s emission reduction policies that could actually create new pressure for forest conversion,” she stressed.
For example, the Enhanced NDC document still allows for a deforestation quota of 359,000 hectares per year until 2030. In fact, to achieve Indonesia’s FOLU Net Sink 2030 target, there should be no room left for deforestation through 2030. Moreover, the lack of alignment between emission reduction targets in the energy and forestry sectors could further threaten forests.
“To implement the renewable energy mix policy—one example being biomass co-firing—wood pellets will partly be supplied through energy plantations. Under the FOLU Net Sink 2030 policy, Indonesia aims to develop 6.11 million hectares of plantation forests that have not yet been realized. However, only 2.04 million hectares are clearly available for management. Where will the remaining land come from?” Nadia added.
Salma Zakiyah, Forest and Climate Program Assistant at MADANI Berkelanjutan, added that the development of energy plantations to meet biomass co-firing targets risks causing new deforestation. “Emission reduction policies in the energy sector should not burden emission reduction efforts in the forestry and land sector. Otherwise, Indonesia risks a trade-off where emissions are merely shifted from one sector to another. Currently, at least 9.7 million hectares of natural forest still need immediate protection to prevent such a scenario.”
Salma emphasized that the Indonesian government must demonstrate firm political commitment and a clear mandate to strengthen climate action in a just manner. “Strengthening political commitment and mandates for climate action must be done in a just way—by protecting the rights of those most affected and those who have contributed the least to the crisis, including workers, farmers, fishers, and Indigenous peoples, while upholding gender and social rights, including land rights and the right to a healthy environment.”
Therefore, Indonesia should take a leadership role by setting a concrete example in forest protection and in fulfilling its commitments to address the climate crisis.
About MADANI Berkelanjutan
Manusia dan Alam untuk Indonesia (MADANI) Berkelanjutan is a non-profit organization working to address the climate crisis through research and advocacy. Established in 2016, MADANI strives to promote balanced development in Indonesia—across economic, ecological, and social dimensions. We develop and promote innovative solutions to the climate crisis by fostering collaboration among various stakeholders. MADANI’s current focus areas include forest and climate, sustainable commodities, sustainable regional development, and biofuels.
