Geopark Rinjani-Lombok Secures Second Green Card from UNESCO

Mataram (ANTARA) - Geopark Rinjani-Lombok has successfully retained its UNESCO Global Geopark status by securing the Green Card for the second time in the international revalidation process held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, on 28 April 2026.

General Manager of Geopark Rinjani, Qwadru Putro Wicaksono, stated that retaining the status is far more challenging than achieving it for the first time.

Qwadru said that the success in retaining the status serves as proof that the governance of Geopark Rinjani-Lombok continues to meet global standards in terms of conservation, education, and community economic empowerment.

The revalidation process was conducted comprehensively by UNESCO assessors. They not only evaluated the natural beauty aspects but also the tangible impacts on community welfare in the Mount Rinjani ring area.

The geopark managers or earth park recorded various innovations over the past four years, particularly in education through the integration of geopark materials into local school curricula and strengthening geological literacy in communities.

The disaster mitigation aspect became a significant added value, given that Lombok is located in a tectonically earthquake-prone area. Integrating geological knowledge for the safety of tourists and local residents has become a priority that was appreciated by the UNESCO assessment team.

During the certificate presentation ceremony in Paris, the Indonesian Ambassador to France, Mohamad Oemar, emphasised that Geopark Rinjani-Lombok is not merely a tourist destination but a vital natural laboratory for global science.

He referred to Rinjani as a gem in Indonesia’s network of world earth parks.

The Indonesian government is committed to continuing to support the promotion of various domestic geoparks in international forums. The success of Rinjani-Lombok is expected to serve as a motivator for other earth parks in Indonesia facing similar revalidation processes.