Indonesia and Singapore Sign Environmental MoU, Focusing on Forest Fire Mitigation and Carbon Trading
Indonesia and Singapore have strengthened environmental cooperation through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) covering climate change, waste management, forest and land fire mitigation, carbon trading, and green energy development.
The MoU was signed by Indonesia’s Minister of Environment/Head of the Environmental Control Agency (BPLH) Jumhur Hidayat and Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu at the Ministry of Environment office in Jakarta on Monday (29/6).
Minister Jumhur said the MoU would serve as an umbrella for various technical cooperation initiatives to be carried out by the two countries. “We signed an MoU that will be followed up with operational cooperation. The MoU is an umbrella, but many things will be worked on, including climate change, waste management, El Niño preparedness, and forest and land fire mitigation,” Jumhur said.
He noted that the cooperation focuses not only on handling fires but also on prevention efforts to ensure they do not occur. “We are not only thinking about putting out fires, but what we are doing is to ensure there are no fires. So, we will continue to carry out mitigation,” he said.
Jumhur explained that Indonesia has undertaken various forest fire prevention measures, including building canal blocks on peatlands to maintain water reserves. The government is also cooperating with the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) on cloud seeding to keep peatlands moist.
He welcomed Singapore’s commitment to making forest fire prevention a regional programme. “We are grateful that Singapore is helping to make forest and land fire prevention a regional programme. So, when there is smoke from land fires, Singapore will also help in handling it,” he said.
In addition to fire control, the two countries discussed cooperation on carbon trading, circular economy, waste recycling, water management, and new and renewable energy development. Jumhur revealed that the government will launch the Carbon Unit Registration System (SRUK) on 9 July 2026 as an initial step for carbon trading in Indonesia. “We will launch the Carbon Unit Registration System on 9 July. From then on, we can start trading carbon,” he said.
However, he stressed that carbon trading must benefit communities around forest areas. “The Ministry of Environment will ensure there are regulations stipulating that carbon trading is not a speculator’s game. The most important thing is that the benefits are felt by local communities,” Jumhur said. He added that the welfare of local communities is key to successful environmental conservation. “If local residents do not get a fair share from carbon trading, they will not want to protect their environment,” he said.
Jumhur also disclosed that both countries discussed opportunities to utilise methane gas from palm oil waste through methane capture technology that can be processed into bioenergy.
Meanwhile, Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu described the signing of the MoU as an important step to strengthen long-term cooperation between the two countries. “This MoU is a big step as a start for sustainable cooperation in the environmental sector, including facing El Niño, waste management, and climate change,” Grace Fu said. She noted that areas of focus for the cooperation include the circular economy, environmental management, climate change, pollution control, and green jobs development.