Bogor City – January 7, 2026 – Efforts to strengthen Riau Province's preparedness in facing the climate crisis and implementing jurisdiction-based REDD+ have entered a new phase. Technical experts, government officials, and international partners gathered at the GREEN for Riau Initiative (GREEN Riau) Work Plan Harmonization Workshop held at the Luminor Hotel, Bogor, on Wednesday (January 7).
This workshop provided crucial momentum for aligning the G4RI Theory of Change vision as a sustainable development approach that balances environmental protection, community well-being, and economic sustainability. This initiative is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (UK-FCDO) with technical support from the UN-REDD Programme, led by UNEP and supported by the FAO, and involves relevant ministries and institutions, including the Ministry of Forestry and the Ministry of Environment. Various key stakeholders were also involved, including the Riau Provincial Government, FAO, UNEP, G4RI technical consultants, implementing partner organizations (PILI Foundation and PETAI Foundation), and the Penabulu Foundation as the intermediary institution (Lemtara) for the Riau Province REDD+ GCF Output 2 RBP.
National Commitment and Regional Challenges
Prof. Dr. Haruni Krisnawati S, Hut, M.Si, Expert Staff for Climate Change at the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry, emphasized that the forestry sector plays a key role in mitigating the climate crisis. "Riau Province is a national priority. This harmonization ensures that subnational measures in Riau align with the Net-Zero 2030 target and the national REDD+ mechanism through high integrity standards," she said.
Riau Province faces significant challenges with its 4.9 million hectares of peatland ecosystem vulnerable to canalization and degradation. The Acting Head of the Riau Province Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda), Purnama Irawansyah, S.Hut., MM, emphasized that Green for Riau strengthens the "Green Riau" program. "Amidst regional fiscal constraints, we are promoting a creative financing scheme through the carbon economy. The GREEN for Riau Initiative exists to bridge economic, social, and environmental interests, including protecting indigenous communities," he explained.
The Head of the Riau Province Environment and Forestry Service (DLHK), M. Job Kurniawan, AP., M.Sc., in his remarks expressed his full support for this initiative as it strengthens the region's capacity to access global climate finance. He highlighted the importance of the Result-Based Payment (RBP) and Result-Based Contribution (RBC) mechanisms for Riau.
Technical Foundation and International Standards
In the technical session, Bambang Arifatmi, Ph.D., Country Coordinator of the UNEP UN-REDD Programme in Indonesia, focused on forest and peatland restoration through innovative financing based on the carbon economy, with balanced, inclusive, and sustainable planning until 2045.
In addition to strategic coordination, the workshop served as a platform for technical consolidation through the presentation of work plans from various fields of expertise. At least nine specialist consultants presented their strategies, from developing a Mitigation Action Plan (MAP) and strengthening REDD+ Governance to addressing crucial issues such as Forest Fire Prevention. Inclusivity was also highlighted, with consultants specializing in Safeguards, Gender, and Benefit Sharing to ensure equitable distribution of carbon economy benefits for local communities. This technical data will be managed through an integrated Nesting Development & Database Management system.
About the UN-REDD Programme: The UN-REDD Programme is a collaboration between the United Nations (UNEP, FAO, UNDP) to assist developing countries in reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and managing forests sustainably.
About the PILI Green Network: PILI Green Network is an Indonesian non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening biodiversity conservation and sustainable natural resource management through scientific approaches and multi-stakeholder collaboration.
About PETAI: The PETAI Foundation (Indonesian Center for Education and Nature Transformation) is a non-profit organization that plays a crucial role in conservation and community empowerment, particularly in the Riau region. Within the context of the GREEN for Riau (G4RI) initiative, the PETAI Foundation acts as a local implementing partner, bridging technical policies with concrete actions at the grassroots level.