W

hile it is high on the agenda of many world leaders, environmental conservation was the last thing on the minds of most politicians who contested the recent gubernatorial elections, a study has found.

The findings have prompted calls for candidates in next year’s presidential election to come up with concrete programs and demonstrate a strong commitment to conservation efforts, especially the protection of Indonesia’s already fragile forests and peatland.

The study, conducted by Madani Berkelanjutan, an environmental non-governmental organization that focuses on forest and land management, found that most of the 17 governors-elect used only slogans to present their visions, missions and programs.

Their vague plans have been deemed worrisome because the bureaucrats will control 78.8 million hectares of forest, or 63 percent of Indonesia’s forests.

Under the existing laws, regional heads play a key role in conservation because they have the authority to issue environmental permits, although the central government also has the power to issue permits related to forest exploitation.

Madani Berkelanjutan researcher Anggalia “Anggi” Permatasari said most of the elected regional heads used dubious terms like “sustainable development” or “green development” in their campaign promises.

“We didn’t see any real effort to promote environmental conservation in most of the governors-elect programs,” she said.

The study found that just three successful gubernatorial candidate pairs offered workable plans.

The most feasible program was offered by victorious Riau candidate pair Syamsuar-Edy Nasution. The pair’s plans focused on forest fire prevention, environmental law enforcement, mangrove replantation and climate change mitigation.

Next came South Sumatra’s winning ticket Herman Deru-Mawardi Yahya, which promised practical sustainable development programs. However, inconsistently, the pair also planned to allow the expansion of oil palm plantations, industrial forests and coal mining.

Meanwhile, West Kalimantan’s Sutarmidji-Ria Norsan came out with plans to prevent forest fires, but the pair’s intention to increase the production capacity of oil palm plantations is also a cause for environmental concern.

Anggi said that the stated commitments to environmental protection would make it easier for the public to hold the regional heads to account, especially in regards to the issuance of business permits, a process prone to corruption.

In North Sumatra, the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) has lodged a case challenging the environmental permit for the Batang Toru hydro power plant development, which was issued by former governor Tengku Erry Nuradi last year, with the Medan State Administrative Court.

Walhi’s lawyer Golfrid Siregar said the provincial administration had issued the permit without conducting a proper feasibility study and consultation with local people.

Madani Berkelanjutan executive director Teguh Surya called on presidential candidates to make environmental issues part of their campaign platforms.

They should make forest conservation part of their campaign debates, he said, adding that clear-cut plans would be key to natural disaster mitigation. (ris)

— Apriadi Gunawan contributed to the story from Medan