National Action in Indonesia

Indonesia is the world’s third largest emitter of greenhouse gases, after China and the US. The vast majority of Indonesia’s emissions do not come from fossil fuels – instead, they come from the clearing and burning of millions of hectares of forests and peatlands.  The drainage and agricultural development of peatlands alone accounts for almost half of Indonesia’s total emissions, but provides only 1% of GDP.

Millions of Indonesians in over thirty thousand rural villages depend directly on the country’s forests for their livelihoods. The oil palm and pulp and paper industries that are principal drivers of deforestation provide relatively little benefit to those people. Indeed, conflicts over land and resource rights are common because the industries generally pursue resource-depleting business model, rather than investing in sustainability, intensification, capacity building and technical assistance to smallholders.

However, there are some positive signs. The Government of Indonesia has committed to reduce deforestation, recognize the collective lands right of rural villages, and pursue low-carbon development strategies. The Climate and Land Use Alliance is committed to assisting in this effort, working with the government, civil society, and the private sector.

 

Download Indonesia Initiative overview

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Alliance’s Indonesia Initiative includes four component strategies:

  • Supporting the development and implementation of national and sub-national low emissions development strategies that benefit small holders as drivers of rural economic development

  • Promoting rural development approaches that expand productive opportunities for forest-dependent communities while lowering greenhouse gas emissions

  • Promoting low-carbon development strategies that secure resource and land rights to provide indigenous peoples and local communities with the means to protect their forests

  • Reducing rates of peat and forest conversion by increasing demand-side pressure for changes in the palm oil and paper/pulp industries