Enviro News Asia, Ottawa — Indonesia reaffirmed its strategic role in addressing the global climate crisis through integrated, community-based forest governance policies at the 2025 International Model Forest Network (IMFN) Global Forum held in Ottawa, Canada, on Tuesday (May 27, 2025).
Themed “Forest, People, Planet: Scaling Local Solutions for Global Impact,” the forum brought together policymakers and forestry practitioners from around the world.
During The Canopy Session panel on “National Policy Coherence,” Dr. Agus Justianto, Senior Advisor to Indonesia’s FOLU Net Sink 2030 Task Force, outlined Indonesia’s concrete steps in aligning national forestry policy with international commitments, while empowering local communities as key stakeholders.
“Indonesia is firmly committed to achieving FOLU Net Sink 2030, where the forestry and land use sectors will absorb more carbon emissions than they emit by 2030,” Agus stated.
This initiative aligns with Indonesia’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, primarily implemented through reducing deforestation and forest degradation, promoting sustainable forest management, empowering communities via Social Forestry and forest rehabilitation, applying the Timber Legality Verification System (SVLK), and conserving biodiversity.
In promoting sustainable timber products, Agus noted that Indonesia is the first country to implement and issue FLEGT licenses for timber exports to the European Union—showcasing SVLK’s national success.
Moreover, as one of the world’s megadiverse countries, Indonesia actively protects biodiversity through ecosystem restoration, conservation area management, and adherence to international conventions such as CITES.
Agus further emphasized the critical role of communities in meeting environmental and climate goals. Through the Social Forestry Program, legal rights are granted to local and Indigenous communities to sustainably manage forests, while reducing illegal logging and land degradation.
“With community involvement, we don’t just reduce deforestation—we build socio-ecological resilience,” he explained.
Communities also play an active role in peatland restoration, biodiversity conservation through local wisdom, and community waste management efforts that reduce emissions and environmental pollution.
The government supports these initiatives through policy frameworks, trust fund financing managed by the Environmental Fund Management Agency, technical training, and multi-stakeholder partnerships.
Initiatives such as Dana Nusantara are also being developed to directly channel funds to Indigenous and local communities.
This community-based forest governance model, Agus added, has not only inspired national policies—such as the Constitutional Court’s 2013 recognition of customary forests and the draft Indigenous Peoples Bill—but also influenced global policy frameworks.
“Indonesia’s experience with REDD+, SVLK, and carbon trading mechanisms provides valuable lessons for developing fair and inclusive global frameworks,” he stated.
Agus underscored that local communities serve as living laboratories, testing diverse approaches to forest management and climate adaptation.
Their involvement in international forums, including the UNFCCC COP and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), strengthens global recognition of Indigenous peoples’ rights and their role in environmental governance.
By prioritizing grassroots participation and local knowledge, Indonesia demonstrates that successful forestry and climate policies require a harmonious integration of top-down and bottom-up approaches.
“Indonesia’s success in sustainable forest management is not just a national achievement, but a global contribution,” Agus concluded. *
