Indonesia and UNEP Strengthen Cooperation on Forestry Carbon Markets
Indonesia is strengthening international cooperation in the fields of climate change and forestry carbon markets with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This step forms part of the implementation of directives from President Prabowo Subianto to bolster global collaboration in safeguarding and preserving the nation’s forests.
This commitment was conveyed by Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni during a bilateral meeting with UNEP’s Director of the Climate Change Division, Martin Krause, at the Indonesian Lounge in the United Nations Headquarters, New York, United States, on Tuesday (12/5/2026).
The meeting discussed cooperation between Indonesia and UNEP in forestry, ranging from REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation), the development of forestry carbon markets, to innovative financing for national parks.
“Indonesia has taken significant steps in operationalising the carbon market through Forestry Ministerial Regulation No. 6 of 2026 as a follow-up to Presidential Regulation No. 110 of 2025. This regulation provides a clear and comprehensive framework for carbon trading in the forestry sector, from project development, verification, to transactions, thereby offering certainty and transparency for investors and partners,” said Raja Juli, quoted on Thursday (14/5/2026).
According to him, the government places climate action as one of its top priorities, particularly to achieve Indonesia’s FOLU Net Sink 2030 target. Indonesia is also seen as having great potential to become a key player in the global carbon economy due to its vast tropical forest areas.
Raja Juli expressed appreciation for the longstanding partnership between Indonesia and UNEP, including through a memorandum of understanding signed in 2024. This cooperation is regarded as a foundation for driving various concrete programmes in the forestry sector.
The government has also established the Task Force for Innovative Financing of National Parks through Presidential Decree No. 8 of 2026. The task force is tasked with developing financing solutions for conservation areas through various approaches, including blended finance.
“The Ministry of Forestry is the primary sector in managing carbon in the FOLU sector, including the implementation of REDD+,” stated Raja Juli.
In the meeting, the Indonesian government also expressed appreciation for UNEP’s support through the UN-REDD Programme, including the implementation of the Green for Riau programme. This programme is expected to serve as a model for developing Jurisdictional REDD+ approaches in other regions.
Raja Juli also highlighted the importance of strengthening the representation of tropical forest countries in UNEP. The government hopes that more Indonesian professionals can contribute to the organisation to bolster its mandate on global environmental and forestry issues.
The bilateral meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of the commitment between Indonesia and UNEP to continue strengthening their strategic partnership in sustainable forest management and global climate action. In the meeting, the Forestry Minister was accompanied by the Director General of Sustainable Forest Management, the Director General of Watershed Management and Forest Rehabilitation, the Chief Advisor to the Forestry Minister, and the Head of the Bureau of Public Relations and International Cooperation of the Ministry of Forestry.