Indonesia Highlights Innovative National Park Financing at London Climate Action Week

The Indonesian government has reaffirmed its commitment to innovative financing for national parks as part of a transformation of the conservation approach into a strategic investment for sustainable development. Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni made the statement during a high-level opening session on ‘Nature and Finance’ on the sidelines of London Climate Action Week 2026 in London, UK. “Indonesia believes that nature is not only something to be protected, but is a development asset that must be managed and invested in sustainably. Therefore, we need to shift from the paradigm of financing conservation to investing in conservation,” said the Minister in a statement received in Jakarta on Wednesday. As a megabiodiverse country with one of the world’s greatest biological riches, Indonesia considers that conservation must simultaneously generate ecological, social, and economic benefits. The Minister added that this approach aligns with President Prabowo Subianto’s directive to strengthen the protection of natural resources while creating inclusive and sustainable development opportunities. At the forum, Raja Juli Antoni also introduced the establishment of a Task Force for Innovative Financing of National Park Management, aimed at strengthening the protection and restoration of national parks, safeguarding rare and endangered species, and developing sustainable funding sources for conservation. The Indonesian government is also committed to ensuring that indigenous and local communities become key partners and beneficiaries in the management of conservation areas. To support this agenda, Indonesia has conducted various studies in several national parks to identify financing opportunities that match their ecological characteristics, conservation priorities, and management capacities. Instruments currently being developed include carbon credits, biodiversity credits, species conservation bonds, ecotourism, debt-for-nature swaps, and other innovative financing mechanisms. Indonesia also introduced the ‘One Species, One Company’ initiative, which aims to encourage private sector participation in supporting the protection of iconic Indonesian wildlife such as rhinos, orangutans, elephants, tigers, and birds of paradise. Institutionally, the government is strengthening conservation financing governance through the development of a Public Service Agency scheme for national park areas to increase financial management flexibility and ensure long-term conservation funding sustainability. A key priority currently under development is the preparation of a science-based investment prospectus for 13 priority national parks in Indonesia. Through this approach, Indonesia seeks to translate conservation outcomes into credible, transparent, and replicable investment opportunities on a broader scale. The Minister also called on all global stakeholders to strengthen collaboration in closing the world’s significant conservation funding gap. “Indonesia invites governments, development agencies, philanthropic organisations, financial institutions, and private investors to jointly build a conservation financing model that is practical, measurable, and delivers real impact,” he stated.