TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Indonesia allows resumption of international carbon trade after four years

Until the halt, Indonesia was one of the biggest suppliers of carbon credits to the international market, mostly through the REDD+ reforestation scheme.

Reuters
Jakarta
Wed, October 15, 2025 Published on Oct. 15, 2025 Published on 2025-10-15T16:11:38+07:00

Change text size

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Nature walk: A group of people take a walk in Southeast Asia’s largest peat forest situated between the Katingan and Mentaya rivers in Central Kalimantan on May 20, 2022. 

Nature walk: A group of people take a walk in Southeast Asia’s largest peat forest situated between the Katingan and Mentaya rivers in Central Kalimantan on May 20, 2022. (Antara/PT Rimba Makmur Utama)

President Prabowo Subianto has issued a new decree to restart international carbon emission trading after a four year hiatus.

The country issued carbon market rules in 2021 that focused on compliance carbon markets rather than transactions in voluntary markets.

The rule effectively put an end to all cross-border carbon emission credit trading, including those generated from big projects like the Katingan Mentaya conservation project.

Indonesia said the moratorium allowed the country to give priority to meeting its own greenhouse gas reduction targets rather than sell the reductions overseas.

The suspension also came amid concerns that the price of carbon was too low, and selling countries were not benefiting from the market.

Until the halt, Indonesia was one of the biggest suppliers of carbon credits to the international market, mostly through the REDD+ reforestation scheme.

Prospects

Every Monday

With exclusive interviews and in-depth coverage of the region's most pressing business issues, "Prospects" is the go-to source for staying ahead of the curve in Indonesia's rapidly evolving business landscape.

By registering, you agree with The Jakarta Post's

Thank You

for signing up our newsletter!

Please check your email for your newsletter subscription.

View More Newsletter

The new presidential decree, signed last week and made public on Wednesday, allows the international trade in carbon offset units to resume in accordance with Indonesian national standards, or the standards set by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and other international certifiers.

The decree also calls for the establishment of a decentralised registry for carbon units that will be transparent and run in real time, in order to prevent the double counting of carbon emission reductions.

Prabowo, who will soon mark his first year as president on October 20, has plans to generate capital inflows from sales of carbon offsets to foreign buyers from projects such as rainforest preservation.

Indonesia this year has signed mutual recognition agreements with international organizations that certify projects that cut greenhouse gas emissions, including Verra, Gold Standard, Global Carbon Council, Plan Vivo and the Joint Crediting Mechanism.

These deals were meant to facilitate international carbon trade and foreign investments to support Indonesia's climate goals, officials have said.

Indonesia's local carbon exchange, launched in September 2023, has also began to offer carbon credit certificates to foreign buyers this year, but trading so far has been thin.

Indonesia has a commitment to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2060 or earlier.

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.

Share options

Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!

Change text size options

Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small, medium, or large—find what’s most comfortable for you.

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!

Continue in the app

Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.