Indonesia seeks innovative funding for national park conservation

Deli Serdang (ANTARA) - Indonesia is developing innovative ways to finance conservation and strengthen national park governance while retaining state control over priorities and oversight, Deputy Forestry Minister Rohmat Marzuki said.

"Indonesia's national parks remain under state authority, with conservation as their primary objective," Marzuki said in Antalya, Türkiye, on Monday (November 9).

He spoke at the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31), according to a ministry statement issued on Tuesday.

He said the government was working to establish a national platform linking reliable funding with strong institutions, sound governance and measurable conservation results.

"The government remains responsible for conservation priorities, management decisions and oversight," he added.

The Forestry Ministry is prioritizing a credible financing framework, conservation-linked financial instruments, regulatory reforms and greater financial flexibility, alongside stronger human resources and management capacity.

A public-service agency (BLU) transformation plan covers four national parks: Komodo, Bromo Tengger Semeru, Mount Rinjani and Way Kambas.

At a COP31 panel, Indonesia's Task Force for Innovative Financing presented mechanisms based on international best practices, including the Biodiversity Credit Framework and Project Finance for Permanence.

The task force also discussed Wildlife Conservation Bonds and results-based financing, including the Rhino Bond model, which links funding to measurable species-protection outcomes.

WWF Indonesia CEO Aditya Bayunanda, a member of the task force, welcomed the government's initiative to establish a conservation financing framework.

"We see a strong positive signal in Indonesia's structured approach," he said.

Bayunanda said closer cooperation among the government, financial institutions, companies and international partners could shift conservation financing from philanthropy toward investment, supporting a nature-positive economy.

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Translator: A.N. Zhafira, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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