Antoni said the move reflects Indonesia’s strong commitment to protecting the environment and supporting indigenous peoples who have long lived in these areas.
The statement was issued in Jakarta on Saturday following his participation in the Climate Summit in Belem, Brazil, on Thursday (Nov 6).
According to Antoni, the initiative is part of President Prabowo Subianto’s broader concern for environmental conservation and the welfare of indigenous groups that have historically faced marginalization.
The commitment was also reaffirmed at the same forum by the President’s Special Envoy for Climate Change and Energy, Hashim Djojohadikusumo.
“Earlier this year, President Prabowo officially announced to the world our bold commitment to recognize and allocate 1.4 million hectares of customary forests for indigenous and local communities within the next four years,” Hashim said.
At the United for Wildlife Global Summit and High-Level Ministerial Roundtable on Tuesday (Nov 4), Antoni noted that in March 2025, Indonesia established a Special Task Force to Accelerate the Recognition of Customary Forests.
He added that this measure follows President Prabowo’s directive, which sets a target of recognizing 1.4 million hectares of new customary forests during the 2025–2029 period.
Antoni emphasized that recognizing customary forests not only protects indigenous rights but also contributes significantly to environmental preservation.
Data from SOIFO 2024 shows that deforestation rates can drop by 30–50 percent in areas where indigenous forest rights are recognized.
Between 2015 and 2024, Indonesia restored more than two million hectares of degraded land, reducing forest fires by 19.6 percent. The forestry sector also secured US$499.8 million in result-based payments, including US$103.8 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) through UNDP.
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Related news: Indonesia to speed up recognition of indigenous forests
Translator: Arnidhya Nur Zhafira, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Primayanti
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