NTB Provincial Government: Rinjani-Lombok Geopark Governance Meets Global Standards
Mataram (ANTARA) - The Provincial Government of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) has affirmed that the UNESCO Global Geoparks’ second Green Card recognition for Rinjani-Lombok Geopark signifies that the earth’s park governance has met global standards.
“This achievement is not merely an administrative recognition but an international validation that the governance of Rinjani-Lombok Geopark is operating in accordance with global standards,” said NTB Provincial Government Spokesperson Ahsanul Khalik in Mataram on Wednesday.
Ahsanul stated that this international standard governance is reflected in three main aspects that Rinjani-Lombok Geopark continues to strengthen, namely conservation, education, and community economic empowerment.
Rinjani-Lombok Geopark implements a management approach that is not only oriented towards the tourism sector but is also sustainability-based, balancing environmental preservation and improving the welfare of local communities.
“The Green Card is tangible proof of the collective efforts of the government, managers, communities, and all stakeholders in NTB being on the right track and recognised by the world,” said Ahsanul, who also serves as the Head of the NTB Communication, Informatics, and Statistics Office.
Rinjani-Lombok Geopark has now developed into a global education space and natural laboratory that provides added value for the development of science and community-based economy.
The NTB Government is committed to maintaining the UNESCO Global Geoparks Green Card status through strengthening community-based conservation, increasing geological literacy, and developing the local economy around the Rinjani-Lombok Geopark area.
Ahsanul conveyed that strengthening disaster mitigation based on geological knowledge is also a focus of development, considering the characteristics of the NTB region which is prone to natural disasters.
He hopes that this international recognition will serve as a foundation to improve the quality of earth’s park management in a sustainable and globally competitive manner.
“Our hope is that Rinjani-Lombok Geopark not only survives but continues to advance, becoming a world icon that provides real benefits to the community and becomes Indonesia’s pride on the international stage,” he said.
Based on an official statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Indonesia has obtained three Green Card statuses from the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council for the period 2026 to 2029, namely Rinjani-Lombok, Toba Caldera, and Ciletuh-Palabuhanratu.
The Green Card status is the highest form of recognition in UNESCO’s periodic evaluation of earth’s parks.
In an official letter from UNESCO to the Indonesian Government, the three geoparks were stated to have successfully maintained management quality while making significant contributions to UNESCO’s goals in strengthening earth sciences, disaster risk mitigation, and sustainable development based on natural heritage.