Indonesia Reaffirms Peatland Protection Commitment at GPI Forum in Peru
Indonesia has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting and restoring peatland ecosystems as a key pillar in facing global climate change. The commitment was conveyed at the Technical Level 4th Meeting of the Partners of the Global Peatlands Initiative (GPI) in Lima, Peru, on Tuesday (30/6).
Ristianto Pribadi, Head of the Public Relations and Foreign Cooperation Bureau at the Ministry of Forestry, stated that protecting peat forests is not only an environmental issue but also concerns biodiversity conservation, water security, and sustainable development. Indonesia possesses the world’s largest tropical peatland ecosystem, with a hydrological area spanning approximately 24 million hectares.
“Around 70 per cent of this area lies within state forest zones. Indonesia’s peatlands are a strategic global asset as they store approximately 89 gigatonnes of carbon,” Ristianto said on the first day of the meeting.
He stressed that peatland restoration has now transformed from merely repairing degraded land into a long-term investment for climate and economic resilience. Indonesia has implemented comprehensive policies covering inventory, protection, utilisation, and law enforcement, anchored by Government Regulation Number 57 of 2016.
Following the severe forest fires in 2015, the government strengthened technical policies such as peat dome protection and groundwater level monitoring. Additionally, the social forestry programme serves as a spearhead to ensure conservation aligns with community welfare.
“Community participation is at the core of management. Through social forestry, more than 608,000 hectares of peatland areas are now managed sustainably by local and indigenous communities,” he added.
During the international forum, Indonesia invited GPI member countries to strengthen collaboration in sharing experiences, capacity building, and access to sustainable financing. Indonesia also encouraged GPI members to join the International Tropical Peatland Center.
Active participation in Lima serves as tangible evidence of Indonesia’s contribution to the global climate agenda. Through close international cooperation, it is hoped that global peatland ecosystems can be preserved for environmental benefits and future generations.