Forestry Minister: Carbon trading strengthens forest protection
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni has said that carbon trading can strengthen forest protection whilst also improving the welfare of communities living around forest areas.
In a statement issued in Jakarta on Thursday, Raja Antoni said the implementation of carbon trading has begun after the Ministry of Forestry issued permits to four holders of forest utilisation business approvals (PBPH) to conduct carbon transactions, comprising three concession-based PBPH holders and one social forestry operator.
He further affirmed that the ministry will continue to expand the implementation of carbon trading so that its benefits can be felt more widely, both by businesses and forest-managing communities.
“As such, this policy is expected to strengthen forest protection whilst improving community welfare,” said Raja Antoni.
“This includes our 8.3 million hectares of social forestry, which will be able to benefit from this carbon trading process, and 1.4 million hectares of customary forests, which we will also empower together,” he added.
He noted that carbon trading in the forestry sector, which for years remained merely an idea, has now begun to be realised.
The minister said the accelerated implementation would not have been possible without the support of President Prabowo Subianto.
“We certainly convey our appreciation and thanks to President Prabowo, who once again made something that seemed impossible possible, into something we can realise,” he said.
Separately, the Indonesian government has officially launched the Carbon Registry System (SRUK), with the Ministry of Forestry becoming the first ministry to implement carbon trading.
This follows the issuance of the Forestry Minister’s Approval on the issuance of carbon units through the Non-Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Certificate (Non SPE-GRK) scheme on Monday (6/7/2026).
“This step is part of accelerating green economic development driven by the government under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto,” said Minister Raja Antoni.