Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — The Indonesian Government has reaffirmed that its new innovative financing scheme for national parks and iconic species conservation will place ecological integrity and the welfare of local communities at the forefront. The approach will be implemented through transparent governance and strengthened environmental safeguards.
The commitment was highlighted during the Donors and Investors Consultation Meeting on Innovative Financing for National Park Management and Iconic Species Conservation held in Jakarta on Monday (8 June).
Chairman of the Task Force on Innovative Financing for National Parks and Iconic Species Conservation, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, said the initiative reflects President Prabowo Subianto’s high-level commitment to developing a more reliable, effective, and productive conservation financing system to protect Indonesia’s national parks and iconic wildlife.
Recognizing the importance of global cooperation, Hashim invited international stakeholders to join forces in safeguarding Indonesia’s natural heritage through the innovative financing task force.
The task force has adopted a two-track strategy. The first focuses on creating an enabling financing environment through regulatory reform, institutional strengthening, and policy development. The second seeks to attract direct investment through structured market approaches, the preparation of investable project pipelines, and the development of financial instruments in collaboration with global partners.
Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni, represented by Deputy Minister of Forestry Rohmat Marzuki, emphasized that the innovative financing framework has moved beyond conceptual discussions and is now entering a phase of concrete implementation. Through regulatory support and targeted short-term initiatives, Indonesia aims to transform national park management and endangered species conservation from dependence on state budgets to a financially sustainable model based on modern green economic instruments.
As part of its short-term priorities, the Ministry of Forestry is accelerating the transformation of four pilot national parks into Public Service Agencies (BLU): Komodo National Park, Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, Mount Rinjani National Park, and Way Kambas National Park.
Deputy Chair of the Task Force for Conservation Investment, Mari Elka Pangestu, explained that the BLU mechanism is designed to ensure that economic benefits generated by protected areas are reinvested into conservation activities and local community empowerment.
“The fundamental principles underpinning this financing ecosystem are participation, equitable access, and community benefit sharing. All green financing instruments must comply with strict governance, monitoring, and evaluation standards,” she said.
Mari Elka added that the development of the financing platform requires collaboration with international institutions, not only to mobilize capital but also to leverage global expertise, knowledge, and best practices in conservation management.
Indonesia’s emphasis on transparency and environmental integrity has received strong support from ambassadors of partner countries and international organizations, which have expressed their readiness to collaborate in preserving the country’s rich biodiversity. (*)
