West Kalimantan Optimises Forestry Carbon Trading Opportunities
The West Kalimantan Provincial Government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the strengthening of carbon trading governance in the forestry sector. This is a strategic step to address climate change while opening opportunities for a sustainable green economy through the utilisation of the region’s forest potential.
“The inauguration of the Indonesia Forestry Carbon Hub is a strategic step towards strengthening national carbon trading governance. West Kalimantan possesses immense forest potential, presenting an opportunity to deliver both ecological and economic benefits to the community,” stated the Governor of West Kalimantan, Ria Norsan, in Pontianak on Tuesday.
Speaking during the handover of the Minister of Forestry’s Approval regarding Carbon Trading and the inauguration of the Indonesia Forestry Carbon Hub at the Dr. Soedjarwo Auditorium, Manggala Wanabakti Building, Jakarta, on Monday, Norsan noted that West Kalimantan’s vast forest areas offer a significant opportunity to contribute to national emission reduction targets. He emphasised that this should be achieved through carbon trading managed in a transparent, accountable, and sustainable manner.
He stated that carbon trading serves not only as an instrument for environmental preservation but can also become a source of economic added value for the region, provided that natural resource management is conducted sustainably.
“We welcome the presence of the Indonesia Forestry Carbon Hub. This is a vital instrument for transforming how we manage forests—not just maintaining their preservation, but also providing real economic value to the community and the region through a transparent, accountable, and sustainable carbon trading mechanism,” he said.
Norsan added that the West Kalimantan Provincial Government is prepared to strengthen synergy with the central government to accelerate the implementation of carbon trading in the region. This includes facilitating licensing processes in accordance with regulations and ensuring all business actors meet sustainability standards.
Norsan explained that during the meeting, the Minister of Forestry, Raja Juli Antoni, stated that the launch of the Indonesia Forestry Carbon Hub marks a new era of more integrated, transparent, and globally competitive carbon trading governance in the forestry sector.
According to the Minister, the forestry sector plays a crucial role in supporting Indonesia’s Enhanced Nationally Determined Contribution (E-NDC) targets as well as the Forestry and Other Land Use (FOLU) Net Sink 2030 targets. Through this digital platform, the government also aims to increase the credibility of national carbon absorption data while minimising the potential for double counting in carbon trading.
“The Minister of Forestry stated that Indonesia’s forests should not only be viewed as a source of timber, but also as a green economic asset capable of generating sustainable economic value for the nation and improving community welfare,” Norsan concluded.