Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — The Association of The Indonesian Forest Concessionaires (APHI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Tropical Peatlands Center (ITPC) to enhance collaboration on the sustainable management of tropical peatlands within forest areas.
The signing ceremony took place at the Manggala Wanabakti Building, Jakarta, on Friday, October 31, 2025. This agreement marks a strategic step toward strengthening cooperation in support of global climate change mitigation efforts.
Both APHI and ITPC agreed to position sustainable peatland management within forest areas as a key pillar in achieving Indonesia’s Forestry and Other Land Uses (FOLU) Net Sink 2030 target.
Through the MoU, both parties committed to advancing knowledge exchange, training, and capacity building for the public sector, private entities, and local communities in peatland governance. APHI will also engage its member companies to support peatland restoration and conservation practices within forest areas, while developing sustainable business models aligned with global carbon market mechanisms.
APHI Chairman Soewarso emphasized that this partnership reinforces a shared commitment to safeguarding the sustainability of tropical peatland ecosystems.
“This MoU strengthens our shared commitment to sustainable tropical peatland management. It bridges science and business to turn research into real action and supporting global climate goals,” said Soewarso.
Meanwhile, Agus Justianto, Chairman of the ITPC Interim Secretariat, highlighted that the collaboration serves as a tangible example of synergy between science and the private sector toward a shared objective — protecting and restoring tropical peatlands within forest landscapes.
“Our collaboration with APHI shows how science and the private sector can unite for a common purpose — protecting and restoring tropical peatlands.
By sharing knowledge and building capacity together, we aim to turn research into tangible results for climate, biodiversity, and communities.
This partnership embodies the spirit of collective action for our planet.” Agus stated.
Under the agreement, ITPC will provide research and technical support, while APHI will facilitate field access and promote the implementation of sustainable forest and peatland management practices across its members’ concession areas.
The MoU will remain in effect for five years from the date of signing and may be extended by mutual agreement. Periodic evaluations will be conducted to ensure the effectiveness of the collaboration in supporting the restoration of tropical peatland ecosystems in Indonesia and the wider Southeast Asian region.
Through this initiative, APHI reaffirms its commitment as a strategic partner of the government and the global community in strengthening the role of the private sector toward sustainable and internationally competitive forest and land governance. (*)
