Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — Indonesia is advancing efforts to develop a credible biodiversity credit instrument as part of its strategy to protect ecosystems while mobilizing sustainable private-sector financing for conservation.
The Ministry of Environment and the Environmental Control Agency (KLH/BPLH) is refining the national biodiversity credit framework through international cooperation and policy discussions. The initiative was highlighted by Minister of Environment and Head of BPLH Moh Jumhur Hidayat when he opened the International Workshop on Biodiversity Credit Implementation in Jakarta on September 15, 2026.
Indonesia, one of the world’s most biodiverse countries, faces the challenge of translating its rich ecosystems, species and genetic resources into effective economic and policy instruments that can support environmental protection and community welfare.
“Indonesia believes that the development of biodiversity credits must be based on three key principles: scientific integrity, social inclusion and transparent governance,” Jumhur said during the forum.
He said the implementation of biodiversity credits requires a strong policy foundation, clear operational guidelines and regulatory mechanisms that reflect Indonesia’s ecological, socioeconomic, cultural and institutional conditions.
The government also emphasized the importance of involving local and Indigenous communities in biodiversity conservation. KLH/BPLH is encouraging the private sector to increase direct investment in nature-based conservation while recognizing local and Indigenous communities as frontline environmental stewards and holders of valuable traditional knowledge.
The government said benefits generated from nature conservation should be distributed fairly. Equitable economic returns are expected to recognize the contribution of communities and other stakeholders involved in protecting ecosystems.
The International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credit (IAPB) Policy Forum in Jakarta provides Indonesia with an opportunity to exchange experiences and strengthen preparations for a national biodiversity credit framework.
The forum also supports international cooperation toward the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and contributes to preparations for the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17 CBD) in Armenia.
Indonesia also announced that it is considering a bid to host COP18 CBD in 2028, signaling its intention to play a more active role in the international biodiversity agenda.
KLH/BPLH acknowledged support from the governments of the United Kingdom and France, IAPB Policy Forum members, national and international partners, and the Indonesia Taskforce for Development of Biodiversity Credit Framework.
IAPB Co-Chair Dame Amelia Fawcett welcomed the close cooperation between the international panel and Indonesia’s taskforce. She said the collaboration could help establish mechanisms capable of mobilizing large-scale private financing for nature-positive economic activities and long-term community benefits.
Fawcett also expressed concern over forest and land fires currently affecting several parts of Indonesia. She said the fires underscored the importance of protecting and restoring ecosystems while supporting communities and those working to control fires and protect wildlife.
She further said Indonesia could play an important role in shaping a high-integrity biodiversity credit market that could operate at scale globally. According to Fawcett, appropriately designed markets, supported by effective regulation and strong private-sector incentives, could mobilize private financing for conservation and restoration, support local livelihoods and strengthen the green economy.
The biodiversity credit initiative therefore places Indonesia’s conservation priorities within a broader effort to develop market-based financing mechanisms while maintaining scientific credibility, social safeguards and transparent governance. (*)
