Enviro News Asia, Sorong – Papua’s vast tropical forests, mangrove ecosystems, coastal areas, and rich biodiversity make it one of Indonesia’s most strategically important regions for climate change control. To strengthen the region’s role in protecting this potential, the Ministry of Environment/Environmental Control Agency (KLH/BPLH) is pushing regional governments in Papua to accelerate the implementation of climate change control policies and the utilization of Carbon Economic Values (NEK).
The effort was advanced through a Dissemination of Climate Change Control Policy and Carbon Economic Values event for Papua Region Stakeholders, held in Sorong on July 8–9, 2026, as part of strengthening regional government capacity to translate national climate policy into real action at the regional level, with support from the World Bank’s Partnership for Market Implementation and GIZ Clarity.
KLH/BPLH Director for Climate Change Control Resource Mobilization Irawan Asaad stressed that the success of climate change control depends greatly on the active involvement of regional governments as the primary field implementers.
“The success of this policy is very much determined by the active role of regional governments. This is where the importance of the Regional Environmental Control Centers and regional apparatus as the main drivers on the ground lies,” Irawan Asaad said.
He added that the Papua Environmental Control Center together with all Regional Apparatus Organizations serves not only as a technical implementer but also as a coordination driver, low-carbon development facilitator, learning center, and bridge between national policy direction and real-world implementation on the ground.
Papua plays an important role in achieving national emission reduction targets through its vast forest areas, mangrove and coastal ecosystems serving as natural carbon sinks, and rich biodiversity. However, the region also faces challenges from climate change, including increasing extreme weather, changing seasonal patterns, threats to coastal areas from sea level rise, and pressure on forest and coastal ecosystems.
Under the Paris Agreement framework, Indonesia has committed to keeping global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees. Indonesia has set targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 31.89 percent through its own capacity and up to 43.20 percent with international support by 2030 through its Enhanced Nationally Determined Contribution.
Beyond strengthening mitigation and adaptation action, Indonesia is also developing Carbon Economic Value mechanisms as a climate financing instrument, under which the potential for emission reductions and increased carbon absorption can carry economic value supporting low-carbon development at the regional level.
Head of the Papua Environmental Control Center Abdul Muin expressed hope that the policy dissemination would go beyond being an information-sharing forum to produce tangible follow-up in strengthening climate action across Papua.
The Sorong dissemination event was the last in a series of six regional activities held across Indonesia, attended by 62 in-person and five online participants representing central government, the Papua Environmental Control Center, the Southwest Papua Provincial Government, the Sorong City Government, and regional governments from across Papua Island’s provinces.
Through this initiative, KLH/BPLH hopes to strengthen collaboration between central and regional governments in protecting Papua’s strategic ecosystems, accelerating low-carbon development, and ensuring national climate control targets are achieved through real action at the regional level. (*)
