Indonesia, UK Boost Conservation Pact with New Task Force

Indonesia and the United Kingdom are deepening their partnership in conservation, with a focus on biodiversity and sustainable financing for protected areas. The renewed commitment was solidified during a meeting in London between Indonesian Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni and UK’s Special Representative for Nature Ruth Davis.

A key element of this collaboration is Indonesia's newly established Landscape and Iconic Species Conservation Task Force. This body, created by Presidential Decree, aims to attract international funding and accelerate the nation's 2030 "Forestry and Other Land Use (FOLU) Net Sink" climate goals. Minister Antoni highlighted the task force's role in developing sustainable management models for protected areas.

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Indonesia already has a strong legal foundation and political support at the highest level to strengthen nature conservation.

Antoni expressed gratitude for the UK's support, including an initial 2 million poundsterling grant. He emphasized Indonesia's strong legal framework and political will for conservation, stating the next step is translating these into policy reforms and measurable outcomes. He clarified that innovative financing models will supplement state funds and will not lead to the privatization of national parks, ensuring ecological integrity and benefits for local communities.

The Peusangan Elephant Conservation Initiative in Sumatra serves as a pilot project for this alliance, integrating species protection, community empowerment, and investment. Indonesia currently oversees 57 national parks, covering nearly 18 million hectares. The government is developing tailored funding plans for each region, using a mix of blended finance, philanthropy, and public schemes to bridge the conservation funding gap. Both nations agreed to continue their dialogue to combat global biodiversity loss and climate change.

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The next challenge is translating this mandate into policy reforms, replicable pilot projects and measurable conservation outcomes for both communities and the environment.