Enviro News Asia, Vienna — The Indonesian delegation reaffirmed its commitment to transforming the forestry sector through the Multi Usaha Kehutanan (MUK) strategy at the Global Summit: Advancing Sustainable Forest-Based Bioeconomy Approaches in Vienna, Austria. Indonesia presented the strategy as a concrete measure to implement Sustainable Forest Management while enhancing global forest productivity within a bioeconomy framework.
Representing Indonesia, Krisdianto, Director of Forest Product Royalties and Administration (IPHH), stated during the Country Report session that Indonesia has strengthened the legal foundation for forest-based bioeconomy development through Law No. 6 of 2023 on Job Creation. He explained that forest benefits no longer rely solely on timber products but also encompass non-timber forest products, environmental services, and nature-based tourism.
Under the Multi Usaha Kehutanan (MUK) framework, these utilization permits are now integrated into the Forest Utilization Business Licensing (PBPH) scheme. Krisdianto noted that permit holders have revised their Long-Term Work Plans (RKU) and Annual Work Plans (RKT) to optimize forest resources in a more inclusive and sustainable manner.
He emphasized that sustainable forest management is a shared responsibility among all stakeholders, particularly those who derive economic benefits from forest resources. Indonesia also expressed full support for the Vienna Call for Actions as a global guideline for the future of forest-based bioeconomy.
The high-level summit was opened by Norbert Totschnig, Federal Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of Austria, who underscored the vital role of forests in addressing climate change and advancing a sustainable bioeconomy transition. He stressed that sustainable forest management must serve as the foundation for aligning economic value with biodiversity protection.
The Global Summit gathered representatives from 60 countries and 120 international organizations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF), and the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO). During various sessions, Indonesia, alongside countries such as Finland, Japan, and Australia, highlighted the importance of technological innovation, legal certainty, and supply chain traceability systems to strengthen global market confidence in forest-based products.
Key strategic themes discussed at the summit included low-carbon timber construction for future buildings, value addition of non-timber forest products to enhance local community welfare, and innovative financing instruments and public-private partnerships to bridge the global forestry funding gap.
The Vienna Call for Actions and the Co-Chairs’ Summary will be submitted to the 21st session of the UN Forum on Forests in May 2026 and the 28th session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO) in September 2026.
Through its active participation, Indonesia reaffirmed its position as a key global player capable of aligning national economic interests with strong commitments to forest conservation and sustainable development. (*)
