Indonesia
Box H
REDD+ in Indonesia: The national context
Land-use change and forestry (LUCF) and peatlands are the main sources of Indonesia’s GHG emissions. Between 2000 and 2005, average GHG emissions from LUCF and peat fires was estimated as 1.05 GtCO2e (gigatons CO2e) or 63% of the country’s total emissions (Ministry of Environment 2010). Of that, peat fires contributed 22% (Ministry of Environment 2010). Indonesia has the largest extent of peatlands in the world: 21 to 27 million ha (Page et al. 2011), storing up to 132 GtCO2e (MoFor 2008a). Peatlands are thus an important part of REDD+ in Indonesia.
Of the 187 million ha of Indonesia’s landmass, 68% is classified as forest zone (kawasan hutan) under the jurisdiction of MoFor (MoFor 2013a). Of this, 90 million ha (about 70%) are forested (MoFor 2013a). An additional 8 million ha of forests are outside the forest zone, under the authority of subnational governments. The forest zone is classified into: production forests (timber production), limited production forests (some areas protected), conversion forests (for future conversion), protection forests (protected for their ecological functions) and conservation forests (protected for their biodiversity).
Activities contributing to deforestation and forest degradation include conversion to agriculture, unsustainable logging and mining (e.g. Indrarto et al. 2012). There are several estimates of Indonesia’s deforestation rate. MoFor reported an annual deforestation rate of 613,000 ha between 2009 and 2012 (MoFor 2014c). Margono et al. (2014) reported that intact and degraded natural forest cover loss between 2000 and 2012 was 6.02 million ha; the rate of deforestation was highest in 2012, reaching 840,000 ha.
Momentum for REDD+ and the formulation of policies and institutions
The UNFCCC COP 13, held in December 2007 in Bali, provided Indonesia the momentum to move REDD+ forward. Leading up to this event, MoFor established the Indonesian Forest Climate Alliance, which produced a study on REDD+ for the COP 13. Soon after the COP, the National Climate Change Council (DNPI) was established. Regulations providing the legal basis and guidelines for REDD+ implementation were formulated. At the local level, proponents began preparations to establish REDD+ initiatives, including our study sites (Chapters 17 to 22).
In September 2009, President Yudhoyono announced that by 2020, Indonesia will have reduced national GHG emissions by 26%, or by 41% with international support. To reach this goal, the National Planning Agency (BAPPENAS) prepared the national action plan to reduce GHG emissions (RAN GRK) (GoI 2011). Of the targeted 2.95 GtCO2e reduction in emissions, over 80% is to be achieved from forestry and peatlands.1 REDD+ is thus a key element in realizing this commitment.
Sectorial agencies prepared the next steps and donors pledged support to assist Indonesia. By 2013, commitments of support reached USD 4.4 billion (The REDD Desk 2013). The largest single pledge was from Norway. In May 2010, the Government of Indonesia and the Government of Norway signed a letter of intent on REDD+ cooperation. This document outlines actions that Indonesia needs to take in the development and implementation of REDD+ in exchange for USD 1 billion support pledged by Norway.
A REDD+ task force, later renamed the REDD+ Agency (Badan Pengelola REDD+), was established in 2010 to coordinate, plan, manage and oversee REDD+ (GoI 2013). It completed the National REDD+ Strategy (Stranas REDD+) in September 2012 (Satgas REDD+ 2012). The Stranas sets out general guidelines for REDD+ implementation, which are elaborated in provincial REDD+ strategies (Strada REDD+). Other important REDD+ policy instruments that have been developed include frameworks for national MRV, REDD+ financing, and safeguards.
A moratorium on awarding of new concession licenses in primary forests and peatlands, first implemented in May 2011 for two years and extended to May 2015, exemplifies Indonesia’s concrete commitment to REDD+. Although it excluded secondary and logged-over forests, it encouraged better transparency and sharing of spatial data across sectors (Murdiyarso et al. 2011). In particular, it brought attention to an important issue that was long overdue to be addressed – Indonesia does not have a single reference map that is referred to by ministries, local governments and other stakeholders (Karsidi 2013; Resosudarmo et al. 2014b). Various sectors have their own maps that are inconsistent with each other, creating uncertainty and confusion. This presents an enormous challenge in the planning and implementation of all land-based activities, including REDD+. Indonesia is working towards a ‘one map’ policy, developing a central geospatial information database for use by everyone.
Development at the subnational level
Simultaneously, REDD+ is moving at the subnational levels. The REDD+ agency aims to mainstream and integrate REDD+ in 11 pilot provinces and 184 districts. Five provinces and 28 districts have signed memoranda of understanding (BP-REDD+ 2014; Wulandari 2014). Several provinces are active members of the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force.
REDD+ at the subnational level is guided by several decrees issued by MoFor that apply within the forest zone. These include decrees on REDD+ demonstration activities (MoFor 2008c), REDD+ implementation (e.g. benefit-sharing, location, proponents) (MoFor 2009a, 2009b), the creation of a new forest concession category called ERC (MoFor 2008b, 2010, 2012b) and the processes for establishing a forest carbon project (MoFor 2012a).
Many subnational REDD+ initiatives have emerged in Indonesia (Madeira 2009; Atmadja et al. 2010; Cerbu et al. 2011; Mardiastuti 2012; Sekala 2012). However, of the 33 initiatives identified in 2010, only 17 were still active REDD+ initiatives in 2013. The rest were discontinued, completed or rebranded, or rejected the REDD+ label even though their activities reflected REDD+ (personal communication from AD Ekaputri, September 2014).2 Thus, the landscape of subnational REDD+ initiatives in Indonesia is highly dynamic.