Indonesia’s forests cover 52.1 % of the country’s total land. Of this, 50% are primary forests, the most biodiverse and carbon-dense type. The country also has 3.5 million hectares of planted forest.
Indonesia’s forests, composed of diverse tree species like dipterocarps, mangroves, and peatland trees, play a critical role in carbon sequestration. Dominant species such as Shorea, Rhizophora, and Teak contribute to ecosystem health and biodiversity. These forests collectively store about 13 billion metric tons of carbon, with peatland forests being particularly vital due to their deep carbon-rich soils, which can hold up to 20 times more carbon per hectare than other forest types.
Furthermore, Indonesia’s forests support immense biodiversity, with 3,305 species of amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles. Of these, 31.1% are endemic, and 9.9% are threatened. Indonesia also has at least 29,375 species of vascular plants, with 59.6% being endemic. Only 4.5% of Indonesia’s land is protected under IUCN conservation categories.
Over the past decade, Indonesia’s forests have faced significant destruction due to logging, agricultural expansion (especially for palm oil plantations), and infrastructure development. According to Global Forest Watch Statistics, from 2001 to 2023, Indonesia lost 30.8 million hectares (Mha) of tree cover, equivalent to a 19% decrease since 2000, and 22.2 Gt of CO₂e emissions. Much of this deforestation has occurred in primary forests, which are particularly valuable for biodiversity and carbon storage.
This deforestation has been driven by industrial-scale logging, land clearing for palm oil, pulp and paper plantations, and illegal activities. While Indonesia has made efforts to reduce deforestation through moratoriums and sustainability initiatives, forest loss remains a major issue, threatening both global climate goals and the country’s rich biodiversity.
From 2001 to 2023, Indonesia lost 2.93 million hectares of tree cover due to fires and 27.9 million hectares from other drivers such as logging, agricultural expansion, and infrastructure development. The most devastating year for fire-related forest loss was 2016, with 729,000 hectares burned, accounting for 30% of that year’s total tree cover loss. In 2023, the country experienced a dramatic surge in wildfires, with 1.16 million hectares (2.87 million acres) burned, a fivefold increase from the previous year. This spike in fires was primarily fueled by the El Niño phenomenon, which brought prolonged dry conditions to the region, exacerbating fire risks. Scientists see an increase in the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events such as wildfires with increases in occurrences of El Niño like conditions as the climate continues to change.
Indonesia has made significant efforts to reduce land-use emissions by enforcing a moratorium on clearing primary forests and banning the conversion of its remaining forests. The country focuses on reducing deforestation and forest degradation, restoring ecosystems, and promoting sustainable forest management. These initiatives emphasize social forestry and involve active collaboration with the private sector, small and medium enterprises, civil society, local communities, vulnerable groups, Indigenous Peoples (Masyarakat Hukum Adat), and women, ensuring their participation in planning and implementation.
Indonesia has committed to reducing emissions from deforestation but has struggled to curb illegal logging and deforestation. Despite its efforts, illegal forest activities remain a significant issue. Addressing illegal deforestation is crucial for meeting Indonesia’s emissions reduction targets under the UNFCCC and its broader environmental goals. Given that illegal deforestation remains a major contributor to overall deforestation, renewed research, and attention are needed to understand why these activities persist, even after implementing moratoriums on forest clearing activities and international focus on forest law enforcement began.
Primary influencer for Forest conservation in Indonesia
Influencers play a vital role in safeguarding Indonesia’s forests and can take steps to address illegal deforestation by bolstering enforcement, engaging communities, and promoting sustainable forest management practices. Below, we introduce one such influencer and offer recommendations for further advancing Indonesia’s forest conservation efforts.
Professional Title: CEO, EcoNusa Foundation
Email id: bmaitar@econusa.id, bmaitar@gmail.com
Bustar Maitar is the CEO of the EcoNusa Foundation, an Indonesian NGO focused on promoting sustainable environmental practices and empowering communities in Eastern Indonesia, particularly in forest conservation and marine resource management. He has long advocated for forest preservation and has extensive experience working on environmental issues in the Asia-Pacific region, including his previous role leading Greenpeace’s global campaign to protect Indonesia’s rainforests. Buster is known for engaging local communities and pushing for stronger policies to combat deforestation and promote sustainable development.
We kindly suggest that Mr. Bustar Maitar consider enhancing Indonesia’s forest conservation efforts by further strengthening partnerships with local communities to incorporate their traditional knowledge into forest management. Advocating for policy changes to improve environmental regulations against illegal logging and promoting sustainable livelihoods that provide alternatives to deforestation would be beneficial. Additionally, raising public awareness through social media and events, leveraging technology for monitoring deforestation, and collaborating with NGOs and corporations committed to sustainability could greatly impact conservation initiatives. Engaging youth and educational institutions in these efforts and supporting research on innovative practices would also contribute significantly to long-term forest protection in Indonesia.
This Post was submitted by Climate Scorecard Indonesia Country Manager Netra Naik.