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View all search resultsDefining integrity in carbon markets
International standards for "high-quality" credits risk excluding the projects Indonesia needs most, threatening billions in conservation finance and the ecosystems that define our nation.
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A plot of mangrove forest is seen on Oct. 28 in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra. (Antara/Yudi Manar)
I
ndonesia’s tropical forests are among the world's most significant natural climate solutions. Spanning millions of hectares, they store gigatons of carbon, harbor exceptional biodiversity and provide livelihoods for millions.
However, as Indonesia advances ambitious carbon market reforms, a paradox emerges: international standards for "high-quality" credits risk excluding the projects Indonesia needs most, threatening billions in conservation finance and the ecosystems that define our nation.
Projects like Katingan Mentaya and the Sumatra Merang Peatland Project demonstrate that when climate finance aligns with good governance, it can protect and restore ecosystems, create jobs and drive growth. Indonesia’s projects go beyond carbon. They safeguard irreplaceable biodiversity and strengthen national resilience by maintaining water, soil and pollination systems vital for food security.
Without international recognition, Indonesia’s 19 million ha of forestry concessions and 20 million ha of peatlands, could be sidelined from premium carbon markets, even as they deliver emission reductions on the ground.
The consequences would be severe: billions in conservation finance and non-tax state revenue (PNBP) lost, local livelihoods placed at risk and Indonesia’s iconic biodiversity, from orangutans to Javan and Sumatran rhinos, left vulnerable.
With recognition, these same landscapes could attract long-term climate finance, strengthen rural economies and support sustainable development.
