Pekanbaru, June 10, 2026 – The GREEN for Riau initiative continues to strengthen the foundations of carbon governance and low-emission development through the 3rd Town Hall Meeting, which brought together the central and provincial governments, development partners, and experts. This meeting served as a strategic forum to evaluate program achievements, strengthen coordination and communication, and align steps toward implementing a credible and sustainable jurisdictional carbon scheme in Riau Province.
Ilham S.T., M.T., Director of Forest Utilization at the Ministry of Forestry, in his opening remarks emphasized that Ministerial Regulation Number 6 of 2026 has provided a stronger foundation for jurisdictional-based REDD+ implementation, including regulating nesting mechanisms between carbon projects at the site level.
“GREEN for Riau is a national pilot for the development of a carbon nesting scheme. The success of Green for Riau will serve as a national benchmark, from the development of FRELs and MRV systems, safeguards, benefit-sharing mechanisms, to the recognition of indigenous peoples’ rights,” he said.
Bambang Arifatmi, Ph.D., Country Coordinator, UNEP UN-REDD Programme Indonesia, emphasized that the program's success is determined not only by the achievements of individual experts, but also by the ability of all parties to work collectively and in an integrated manner.
“Therefore, quality assurance of outputs, coordination between components, and integrity and harmonization are key to the success of this program,” he said.
In the Data Governance and Nesting Update session, Muis Fajar, S.Hut., M.Sc., explained the progress of the carbon nesting process, which has been underway intensively since early 2026.
“The biggest challenge still faced is the availability and completeness of data that forms the basis for carbon registration and reporting. Therefore, accelerating data collection and validation is a top priority,” Muis explained.
Furthermore, Dr. Masrizal Saraan S.Hut., M.Si., Executive Director of the PETAI Foundation, one of UNEP's Implementing Partners for the GREEN for Riau Initiative, presented the results of the expert team's self-assessment. The evaluation showed that the experts had made a positive and significant contribution to the program's achievements.
"Strengthening collaboration across expertise is crucial so that the resulting technical recommendations can be translated into concrete actions that have an impact at the ground level," he said.
In the Mid-Term Review session, Bambang Arifatmi, PhD, stated that the majority of program targets showed positive progress. However, several plans still require special attention, such as the ART-concept TREES registration process, strengthening MRV, benefit-sharing mechanisms, finalizing nesting agreements with various existing carbon projects in Riau Province, the 2028 exit strategy, and strategies for cost-efficiency in program implementation and data collection from various parties.
Meanwhile, Dr. Ir. Wiratno, M.Sc., presented a study on conflict resolution as a crucial aspect of REDD+ implementation. He identified several types of conflicts still occurring in Riau, ranging from conflicts between companies and indigenous communities, land conflicts in production and conservation forests, to issues regarding the recognition of indigenous peoples' rights. He argued that conflict resolution must be an integral part of the REDD+ implementation strategy to ensure that environmental and social benefits can coexist. He also encouraged strengthening inter-agency coordination and the development of a more systematic conflict resolution mechanism at the provincial level.
Next, GREEN for Riau experts presented the progress of various programs, from the development of FREL (Reliable Area Assessment and Evaluation), MRV (Reliable Area Assessment and Evaluation), safeguards and grievance mechanisms, benefit sharing, to the recognition of indigenous communities and the strengthening of data governance. These achievements demonstrate significant progress in building the technical, institutional, and social foundations necessary to support a credible, transparent, and integrated REDD+ implementation in Riau Province.
Following the expert's presentation, the Head of the Riau Provincial Development Planning Agency (Bappeda), Purnama Irawansyah, S.Hut., MM., expressed his appreciation for Green for Riau's achievements, which he believes have strengthened Riau's position as a pilot for sustainable forestry management and low-emission development in Indonesia through JREDD+. This recognition was reflected in the visit of the Swedish Ambassador to Riau, upon the recommendation of the Minister of Forestry, to observe forestry management practices in the region firsthand.
"This demonstrates that the various efforts undertaken in Riau are beginning to receive attention and recognition, not only at the national level but also internationally," he said.
He emphasized the need for all parties to maintain the quality and timeliness of target completion, considering that Green for Riau is a model for jurisdiction-based REDD+ implementation in Indonesia. He also encouraged the strengthening of social forestry as an instrument that not only preserves forests but also improves community welfare through the development of business models tailored to local potential and characteristics.
Furthermore, Barano Siswa Sulistyawan, Team Leader of the RIMBA Corridor Program, who was also invited, emphasized the importance of strengthening coordination and information exchange between various initiatives underway in Riau Province. The RIMBA Corridor believes that several studies conducted, particularly those related to tenure conflicts, land governance, and landscape management, can provide valuable input in supporting the development of Green for Riau instruments and policies. Through closer collaboration, various programs are expected to complement each other, avoid duplication of activities, and strengthen joint efforts to achieve sustainable forest management and contribute to Indonesia's emission reduction targets.
Through the 3rd Town Hall Meeting, participants affirmed their commitment to strengthening program governance, accelerating the completion of various technical documents, improving the quality of coordination between parties and reports, and ensuring that all developed initiatives can provide real impacts for the community and the environment. GREEN for Riau is also expected to not only become a model for implementing low-emission development at the regional level, but also become a reference for the development of jurisdictional carbon schemes in Indonesia as a successful national pilot project.