Indonesia promotes the principle of “Ecological before Tourism” at UNFF21
The Indonesian government is promoting the principle of “Ecological before Tourism”, which means prioritising ecological functions and biodiversity conservation in every policy on the utilisation of areas. This was conveyed by the Minister of Forestry, Raja Juli Antoni, during the 21st Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF21) at the UN Headquarters in New York, United States, earlier this week. “The main message we are bringing is ‘Ecological Before Tourism’. Ecological functions and biodiversity conservation must be prioritised before we discuss tourism development. Ecotourism should be a tool to strengthen conservation, not the other way around,” the Minister stated in a press release received in Jakarta on Wednesday. Furthermore, he reaffirmed Indonesia’s strong commitment to protecting biodiversity and national strategic steps that serve as pillars for strengthening wildlife conservation and the management of national conservation areas, in line with the directives of President Prabowo Subianto. Minister Raja Antoni stated that this initiative is designed to strengthen the management of national parks through innovative, sustainable, and long-term oriented financing schemes. He added that the mechanisms developed include optimising the economic value of carbon and strengthening ecotourism as a supporting instrument for conservation. The Minister also emphasised that the future direction of national park development in Indonesia must be based on solid sustainability principles. Through this task force, Indonesia seeks to ensure that national park management meets world-class standards, not only capable of increasing carbon absorption but also protecting iconic endangered species. “We invite global partnerships to strengthen funding and technology transfer in the management of national parks. Through international collaboration, we can ensure that Indonesia’s biodiversity wealth is preserved for the balance of the global ecosystem,” said Minister Raja Antoni.