What Lies Ahead? Between Climate Change, Avoided Deforestation and Indonesia

Abstract

"Mounting global concern over climate change and the link to deforestation has refocused international attention on the need to protect the world' forest. Rampant forest and peatland destruction in Indonesia means that the country is one of the worlds top three emitters of CO2, a major contributor to global warming. Based on data from 2000, Indonesia' annual emissions from forestry and land use change are calculated at 2,563 MtCO2e, dwarfing the yearly amount from energy, agriculture and waste which amount only to 451 MtCO2e.

"During COP 13 in Bali, the Government of Indonesia officially proposes REDD (Reduced Emission from Deforestation and Degradation), which offers financial rewards for activities that can reduce CO2 from clearing, converting, or degrading forests. The REDD is a reward for not being CO2 emitters and for policies and business practices that do not support deforestation and degradation. However, such concerns have been raised by others about the Indonesias readiness on emission reduction. What are the implications of REDD for Indonesia, its forests and its forest dependent peoples? Will REDD successfully halt deforestation in Indonesia? What are the greatest challenges when REDD is being implemented? Will REDD success without the government respects indigenous people rights and resolves its ambiguity land tenure policies?

"In order to understand and analyze the implication of implementing REDD at the local and community level, this study will discuss a case study in Mount Halimun-Salak National Park, Indonesia, where various kinds of policy mechanism and land use planning actions are taken to halt deforestation. This case study is a good example on how local government and business sector caught between their own economic and financial interests and the growing international demands for conservation, the resistance of forest dependent people, the impact to local livelihood etc."