[Jakarta, 23 April 2021] Indonesia has strong potential to lead countries around the world in tackling the climate crisis. As the third-largest holder of tropical rainforests globally—after Brazil and the Congo—Indonesia has also managed to cut deforestation by as much as 75 percent during the 2019–2020 period.
“This achievement reflects Indonesia’s real commitment and concrete action in addressing the global climate crisis. Especially since the government has managed to reduce natural forest deforestation for four consecutive years,” said Nadia Hadad, Program Director of Yayasan Madani Berkelanjutan, in response to President Joko Widodo’s speech at the Leaders Summit on Climate on 22 April 2021.
Unfortunately, that achievement was not clearly or strongly conveyed in President Joko Widodo’s speech at the Leaders Summit on Climate initiated by U.S. President Joe Biden. The President mentioned that the moratorium on new permits in natural forests and peatlands now covers 66 million hectares—larger than the combined area of the United Kingdom and Norway. However, this achievement alone is not enough. Further efforts are still needed to strengthen Indonesia’s climate commitment in the Land Use and Forestry (LULUCF) sector.
“Strengthening the moratorium policy by adding 9.4 million hectares of unprotected natural forest—both within the Indicative Map for New Permit Suspension (PIPPIB), Social Forestry Indicative Map (PIAPS), and areas outside permits and concessions—would help Indonesia further suppress deforestation. Protecting natural forests that are already located within permits and concessions is also crucial to ensure Indonesia meets its climate commitments in the forestry sector. This is how Indonesia can truly become a front-runner in addressing the global climate crisis,” said Yosi Amelia, Forest and Climate Program Officer at Yayasan Madani Berkelanjutan.
In the LTS-LCCR 2050 document, Indonesia has set its most ambitious scenario (LCCP) for the forestry sector, targeting average natural forest deforestation of 241,000 hectares per year during 2010–2030 and 99,000 hectares per year during 2031–2050. “Under this scenario, Indonesia can reach carbon neutrality before 2070, provided that the country adopts the most ambitious pathway and sets a lower deforestation cap in its Updated NDC,” Yosi Amelia added.
President Joko Widodo also highlighted the mangrove restoration target of 620,000 hectares, which is indeed commendable. “However, peatland restoration targets still need to be increased if the forest and land sector is to become a net sink by 2030. Under the BRGM Presidential Regulation, peatland restoration targets only cover 1.2 million hectares for the 2021–2024 period, even though priority restoration areas reached 2.6 million hectares in the 2016–2020 period. Worse, the target only applies to peat ecosystems outside permits and concessions. Meanwhile, 14.2 million hectares of peat ecosystems are already under permits, and 99 percent of Indonesia’s peat ecosystems are in degraded condition,” said Yosi Amelia.
“Therefore, it is crucial for the Indonesian government to immediately realize existing peat restoration targets and expand restoration efforts to include areas burned during the massive fires of 2019—not only peat ecosystems outside permits and concessions, but also those within licensed and concession areas,” she added.
The President also spoke about opportunities and plans to develop biofuels in Indonesia. “Efforts to reduce carbon emissions in the energy sector through biofuels must be carried out cautiously. Biofuel development should not come at the expense of Indonesia’s natural forests, whether by converting them into energy plantations or by expanding oil palm plantations to meet biofuel demand. Forest and land clearing for biofuels would risk increasing deforestation, ultimately undermining Indonesia’s climate commitments and its goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050,” said Yosi Amelia.
At the Summit, participating countries announced more ambitious commitments to cut emissions in response to the climate crisis. Brazil, home to the world’s largest tropical rainforest, for example, committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Indonesia, however, has yet to demonstrate a similarly ambitious commitment to reaching net zero emissions before 2050.
“The Leaders Summit on Climate should have been a momentum for Indonesia to lead other countries in addressing the climate crisis, as well as an opportunity to announce Indonesia’s commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, as envisioned under the Paris Agreement,” Nadia Hadad concluded.
Media Contacts:
Nadia Hadad – Program Director, Yayasan Madani Berkelanjutan
Phone: +62 811 132 081
Yosi Amelia – Forest and Climate Program Officer, Yayasan Madani Berkelanjutan
Phone: +62 813 2217 1803
Luluk Uliyah – Senior Media Communication, Yayasan Madani Berkelanjutan
Phone: +62 815 1986 8887
