New York, May 12, 2026 - The Indonesian government, through the Ministry of Forestry, continues to strengthen international cooperation in forestry and climate change, implementing President Prabowo Subianto's policy directive to encourage collaboration with various parties in protecting and preserving Indonesia's forests. This commitment was affirmed in a bilateral meeting between the Minister of Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia, Raja Juli Antoni, and Martin Krause, Director of the Climate Change Division of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), held at the Indonesian Lounge, United Nations Headquarters, New York, United States, on Tuesday (May 12, 2026).
The meeting discussed the sustainability and strengthening of Indonesia-UNEP cooperation in the forestry sector, including strengthening REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation), developing forestry carbon markets, and innovative financing schemes for national parks.
During the meeting, the Minister of Forestry expressed his appreciation for the strong partnership between Indonesia and UNEP, including through the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2024. According to the Minister, this collaboration provides a strong foundation for translation into more concrete and impactful programs.
The Minister of Forestry emphasized that the Indonesian government prioritizes climate action, particularly in achieving Indonesia's 2030 FOLU Net Sink target. Indonesia also has ambitions to become a global carbon hub by building a high-integrity carbon market.
"Indonesia has taken significant strides in operationalizing the carbon market through Ministerial Regulation Number 6 of 2026, a follow-up to Presidential Regulation Number 110 of 2025. This regulation provides a clear and comprehensive framework for carbon trading in the forestry sector, from project development and verification to transactions, thus providing certainty and transparency for investors and partners," said the Minister of Forestry.
In addition, the Minister of Forestry also announced the establishment of the National Park Innovative Financing Task Force through Presidential Decree Number 8 of 2026. This task force is tasked with developing practical financing solutions for conservation areas, including through blended finance and various other innovative approaches.
Regarding REDD+ cooperation, the Minister of Forestry welcomed UNEP's initiative to strengthen collaboration in supporting REDD+ implementation in Indonesia. He emphasized that, based on Presidential Regulation Number 110 of 2025, the Ministry of Forestry is the primary sector in carbon management in the FOLU sector, including REDD+ implementation.
The Indonesian government also expressed its appreciation for UNEP's support through the UN-REDD Program, including the implementation of the Green for Riau program. It is hoped that this program will be successful and serve as a model for developing a jurisdictional REDD+ approach in other regions.
On this occasion, the Minister of Forestry also highlighted the importance of strengthening the representation of tropical forest countries in UNEP. Indonesia, as one of the countries with the largest tropical forests in the world, hopes that more Indonesian professionals can contribute to UNEP to strengthen the organization's mandate on global environmental and forestry issues.
The bilateral meeting concluded with an affirmation of Indonesia's commitment to continue strengthening its strategic partnership with UNEP to produce concrete, innovative, and impactful collaboration for sustainable forest management and global climate action.
Accompanying the Minister of Forestry at the bilateral meeting were the Director General of Sustainable Forest Management, the Director General of Watershed Management and Forest Rehabilitation, the Principal Advisor to the Minister of Forestry, and the Head of the Public Relations and Foreign Cooperation Bureau of the Ministry of Forestry.