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Tropical peatland key to national security and defense system
Peatland can be part of our national defense system only when it remains pristine and in good condition.
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Forest lovers: Palangka Raya University students plant seedlings on a peatland forest area on Jl. George Obos in Palangka Raya, the capital of Central Kalimantan, on March 22, as they observed World Forest Day. (Antara/Makna Zaezar)
By Alue Dohong
Jakarta
Indonesia harbors the largest tropical peatland globally with a total area of 13.4 million hectares (ha), divided into 865 peatland hydrological units (PHUs) covering 24.7 million ha of both peat and non-peat areas.
The country’s peatland is mainly located in the three big islands, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Papua. Studies have shown that Indonesia’s peatland stores a total of 38-57 gigatons of carbon (GtC) in above-and-below ground as well as peat organic matter. The figure exceeds the second Counter Measure (CM2) target of Indonesia’s nationally determined contribution (NDC) by 2030. Therefore, the gigantic carbon storage in Indonesia’s peatland is undeniably very important for controlling climate change at the national, regional and global levels.
Peatland ecosystems provide pivotal economic, societal and ecological benefits to the nation as well as local communities. Peatland ecosystem values and services may be taken in the form of use and non-use/passive values.
The use values constitute both direct (consumptive, recreational, aesthetic and educational) and indirect (ecosystem services such as flood protection, climate change control) values. Meanwhile, the non-use values consist of existence (satisfaction upon the continued existence of peatland), bequest (satisfaction that peatland resource is available for future generations), and altruistic (satisfaction that the peatland resource is available for others in present generation) values.
