Can Business and Conservation Unite for Mutual Benefit?

Economist and Executive Director of the Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS), Bhima Yudhistira Adhinegara, highlighted the risks of an economic model based on unlimited natural resource extraction, while also examining opportunities in bioeconomy, nature-based solutions, green investment, and ESG as part of a strategy to improve Indonesia’s economic competitiveness.

According to Bhima, “Indonesia must take steps to improve its structural economic model. One suitable economic model is one that can preserve nature and provide added value for local communities managing nature on the ground, rather than continuing with extractive development models.”

Yayasan KEHATI believes Indonesia’s future challenge is not only how to protect forests and species, but also how to make conservation an integral part of the economic development strategy.

The seminar “The New Economy of Nature” is expected to serve as a dialogue space to identify business and investment opportunities based on biodiversity, strengthen multi-stakeholder collaboration, and encourage the emergence of strategic recommendations for developing conservation-based business in Indonesia.

The forum is also part of the momentum to commemorate Indonesian Forest Day and National Nature Conservation Day 2026. Invited participants include government ministries and agencies, corporations, business associations, investors, academics, civil society organisations, international partners, and the media.

Through this forum, Yayasan KEHATI aims to reinforce the message that conservation and economic growth do not have to be positioned as mutually exclusive choices. On the contrary, natural wealth managed sustainably can become a source of innovation, job creation, improved community welfare, as well as Indonesia’s competitive advantage in facing global economic changes.