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Why forestry is Indonesia's best hope
If the Indonesian government’s political will is sustained in enforcing President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s commitment to peatland protection and empowering indigenous communities to protect their forests, Indonesia could be the next global climate hero.
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Conserving forests: An aerial picture taken by a joint police-military patrol shows piles of woods from alleged illegal logging in Giam Siak Kecil-Bukit Batu, a biosphere reserve in Bengkalis, Riau, on Feb. 24. (Antara/FB Anggoro)
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ost Indonesians are not generally aware of the real value of our forests. In fact, only the current government has given forests their rightful place in the Cabinet structure, placing it as a function of the environment strategy.
As in many developing countries endowed with tropical forests, Indonesia has always seen forests in the perspectives of security. The dense foliage of tropical forests allows concealment of activities that could be sensitive and detrimental to government oversight.
Modern satellite technology and sophisticated aerial monitoring have made forests less opaque, but still governments do not feel secure, especially when the forests are in border areas. Forests have been seen as sources of wealth to be allocated to politicians or military officials in return for political loyalty.
The situation is changing as electoral democracy takes hold in Indonesia and political patronage changes form into political accommodation. Corruption is being battled actively as the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) probes massive forestry cases; many of the people involved in rent-seeking behavior connected to forests are being constrained by law enforcers and independent media.
A major work by Frances J. Seymour has covered the Indonesian story along with other tropical forest countries in the world. The book is Why Forests ? Why now ? published by the Center for Global Development. It is timely as well as powerful. She points out that Brazil has made the single most important reduction in carbon emissions — more than any other country — by reducing the deforestation rate in the Amazon by 80 percent. Indonesia has equal potential.
Among the reasons for Brazil’s success were the government’s willingness to enforce the law against illegal forest clearing and to recognize indigenous territories. If the Indonesian government’s political will is sustained in enforcing President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s commitment to peatland protection and empowering indigenous communities to protect their forests, Indonesia could be the next global climate hero.
President Jokowi’s commitment to forestry reform continues the position of the previous government under Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. It has in turn empowered local constituencies, primarily indigenous peoples, advocates of good governance and political leaders seeking legitimacy on the global stage. Seymour’s book consolidates years of experience in following REDD+ as a payfor-performance scheme that has committed US$1 billion to a paradigm shift in forest management.
