Enviro News Asia, Shenzhen — Indonesia reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening global forest governance by promoting the trade of legal and sustainable forest products while inviting APEC member economies to collaborate in mangrove conservation through the World Mangrove Center (WMC) during the 2026 APEC Ministerial Meeting on Forestry (FTMM) in Shenzhen on July 28.
Representing Indonesia, Director General of Sustainable Forest Management at the Ministry of Forestry, Laksmi Wijayanti, highlighted the country’s efforts to reinforce sustainable forest management under the theme, “Building a Green Asia-Pacific for Shared Ecological Well-being.” The ministerial meeting focused on advancing sustainable forestry, green economic development, community welfare, and the use of innovation and technology to strengthen resilience across the Asia-Pacific region.
Indonesia emphasized that its Timber Legality and Sustainability Verification System (SVLK) has become a globally recognized mechanism for ensuring the legality of forest products, improving market confidence, and facilitating sustainable timber trade. Laksmi stated that SVLK demonstrates how sustainability serves not only as an environmental commitment but also as the foundation for credible trade and trusted green supply chains.
Indonesia also stressed that law enforcement alone is insufficient to combat illegal logging. The government encouraged APEC economies to strengthen the development of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) as sustainable sources of income for forest-dependent communities. According to Indonesia, creating economic value from standing forests provides stronger incentives for local communities to conserve forests rather than exploit them.
During the meeting, Indonesia called on APEC members to enhance cooperation in expanding market access, improving traceability system interoperability, reducing technical trade barriers, and encouraging green investment to develop sustainable non-timber forest product value chains throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
The country further underscored the importance of protecting mangrove ecosystems, noting that Indonesia is home to approximately 23 percent of the world’s mangroves. Indonesia warned that threats to mangroves, including the illegal trade of mangrove timber for charcoal production, require coordinated international action.
To address these challenges, Indonesia introduced the World Mangrove Center as a global collaborative platform that brings together governments, research institutions, international organizations, civil society, and other stakeholders to advance sustainable mangrove management through research, innovation, knowledge exchange, and resource mobilization.
Indonesia invited all APEC member economies to participate in the World Mangrove Center to strengthen research networks, enhance technical capacity, develop nature-based solutions, and accelerate collective efforts to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss, and the protection of coastal ecosystems.
The Ministry of Forestry stated that Indonesia’s active participation in the APEC forum reflects its broader commitment to strengthening global forestry governance through international cooperation, sustainable forest management, and collaborative initiatives that support climate action, biodiversity conservation, and green economic development. (*)
