POLICY
JAKARTA (FORESTHINTS.NEWS) - Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya has once again pointed out the importance of high conservation value (HCV) areas that have been legally set aside in existing logging and pulpwood plantation concessions covering an area of nearly 3.9 million hectares - or equivalent to over 93% of the size of the Netherlands - and which constitute part of the country's carbon stock.
She emphasized that the HCV areas lying in logging and pulpwood plantation concessions represent an ecological last resort (at each concession level) and play a real role in delivering sustainability measures for upstream and downstream forestry industries.
"Both these industries remain relatively stable despite the surging pandemic and played a contributing part at a certain level when Indonesia managed to move out of economic recession in the second quarter of this year," said Minister Nurbaya (Sep 7).
“HCV areas are not abandoned land. There are legal and sustainability measures attached to the areas, and the fact that the majority of the HCV areas are still situated in logging and pulpwood plantation concessions demonstrates responsibility on the part of the forestry companies involved,” she explained.
In addition to checking their level of legal compliance, including through legal reports from the forestry companies containing updates on the HCV areas in logging and pulpwood plantation concessions, the minister also reiterated to the forestry companies that they should continue prioritizing social forestry schemes in dealing with social conflicts involving the HCV areas.
The following chart shows the distribution of HCV areas in logging and pulpwood plantation concessions, as described by Minister Nurbaya, the majority of which continue to play a protective role as well as providing a source of carbon stock.
Minister Nurbaya also explained that in addition to HCV areas located in logging and pulpwood plantation concessions, substantial expanses of natural forests are also scattered among ecosystem restoration concessions which also extend to production forests.
Furthermore, she continued, millions of hectares of production forests also form part of Indonesia's map for the permanent moratorium on the conversion of primary forest and peatland. The map, in fact, covers an area greater than that of France.
More than 80%
Minister Nurbaya reiterated that she was continuing efforts to consistently incorporate time series-based evidence in the decision-making process, considering that the majority of existing forestry permits, including palm oil and mining, are not granted by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s administration.
"Although companies continue to strive to be aligned with legal measures in their operations, law enforcement efforts remain one of the instruments in President Jokowi’s administration to ensure the fulfillment of their legal compliance," she stressed.
“More than 80% of the law enforcement efforts in the forestry and land use sector have occurred during President Jokowi’s administration," she said.
Deforestation, haze-causing fires
Minister Nurbaya emphasized that Indonesia continues to remain aligned to ensure the nationwide level of deforestation is declining and that there are no substantial haze-causing fires.
“These are among our two top priorities,” she pointed out.
She emphasized that the Indonesian government is not adopting a zero deforestation policy, but is attempting instead to consistently reduce deforestation levels, as has been repeatedly shown by President Jokowi’s administration.
Nonetheless, according to the minister, the government welcomes private sector initiatives to adopt a no deforestation and no peat policy in their supply chains.
“Most importantly, as I keep reminding, the commitments promised by the private sector must continue to be consistently adopted on the ground level, not just on paper," said Minister Nurbaya in conclusion.
RELATED STORIES
POLICY
JAKARTA (FORESTHINTS.NEWS) - Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya has once again pointed out the importance of high conservation value (HCV) areas that have been legally set aside in existing logging and pulpwood plantation concessions covering an area of nearly 3.9 million hectares - or equivalent to over 93% of the size of the Netherlands - and which constitute part of the country's carbon stock.
She emphasized that the HCV areas lying in logging and pulpwood plantation concessions represent an ecological last resort (at each concession level) and play a real role in delivering sustainability measures for upstream and downstream forestry industries.
"Both these industries remain relatively stable despite the surging pandemic and played a contributing part at a certain level when Indonesia managed to move out of economic recession in the second quarter of this year," said Minister Nurbaya (Sep 7).
“HCV areas are not abandoned land. There are legal and sustainability measures attached to the areas, and the fact that the majority of the HCV areas are still situated in logging and pulpwood plantation concessions demonstrates responsibility on the part of the forestry companies involved,” she explained.
In addition to checking their level of legal compliance, including through legal reports from the forestry companies containing updates on the HCV areas in logging and pulpwood plantation concessions, the minister also reiterated to the forestry companies that they should continue prioritizing social forestry schemes in dealing with social conflicts involving the HCV areas.
The following chart shows the distribution of HCV areas in logging and pulpwood plantation concessions, as described by Minister Nurbaya, the majority of which continue to play a protective role as well as providing a source of carbon stock.
Minister Nurbaya also explained that in addition to HCV areas located in logging and pulpwood plantation concessions, substantial expanses of natural forests are also scattered among ecosystem restoration concessions which also extend to production forests.
Furthermore, she continued, millions of hectares of production forests also form part of Indonesia's map for the permanent moratorium on the conversion of primary forest and peatland. The map, in fact, covers an area greater than that of France.
More than 80%
Minister Nurbaya reiterated that she was continuing efforts to consistently incorporate time series-based evidence in the decision-making process, considering that the majority of existing forestry permits, including palm oil and mining, are not granted by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s administration.
"Although companies continue to strive to be aligned with legal measures in their operations, law enforcement efforts remain one of the instruments in President Jokowi’s administration to ensure the fulfillment of their legal compliance," she stressed.
“More than 80% of the law enforcement efforts in the forestry and land use sector have occurred during President Jokowi’s administration," she said.
Deforestation, haze-causing fires
Minister Nurbaya emphasized that Indonesia continues to remain aligned to ensure the nationwide level of deforestation is declining and that there are no substantial haze-causing fires.
“These are among our two top priorities,” she pointed out.
She emphasized that the Indonesian government is not adopting a zero deforestation policy, but is attempting instead to consistently reduce deforestation levels, as has been repeatedly shown by President Jokowi’s administration.
Nonetheless, according to the minister, the government welcomes private sector initiatives to adopt a no deforestation and no peat policy in their supply chains.
“Most importantly, as I keep reminding, the commitments promised by the private sector must continue to be consistently adopted on the ground level, not just on paper," said Minister Nurbaya in conclusion.
RELATED STORIES