Minister Of Transportation King Juli: Indonesia Accelerates Recognition Of 1.4 Million Hectares Of Indigenous Forests To Fight Environmental Crimes

Minister of Transportation Raja Juli Antoni (right) while attending the United for Wildlife Global Summit and the Ministerial High Level Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Tuesday (4/11/2025) ANTARA/Ho-wwwf

JAKARTA - The Minister of Forestry (Menhut) Raja Juli Antoni stated that Indonesia is accelerating the determination of 1.4 million hectares of customary forests as part of a national strategy to fight environmental crimes while strengthening community-based forest governance.

One of the crucial aspects that is often neglected in the prevention of environmental crimes is the involvement of indigenous peoples and local communities. They are the true guardians of our forest," said Raja Juli Antoni in a confirmed statement from Jakarta, Antara, Wednesday, November 5.

The statement was made when the Minister of Transportation attended the United for Wildlife Global Summit and the Ministerial High Level Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Tuesday.

Raja Juli Antoni menjelaskan bahwa sejak Maret 2025 Indonesia telah membentuk Satuan Tugas (Satgas) Khusus Percepatan Pengakuan Hutan Adat.

Following up on President Prabowo Subianto's directive, the Ministry of Forestry targets the recognition of 1.4 million hectares of new customary forest during the 2025'2029 period.

He emphasized that the recognition of customary forests is not only a form of respect for the rights of indigenous peoples, but also has proven to be effective in suppressing the deforestation rate by 30 50 percent, as recorded in the State of Indonesia's Forest (SOIFO) 2024 report.

Through support for community-based forest management, Indonesia seeks to strengthen legal certainty, tentural guarantees, and sustainable forest management.

"Therefore accelerating this recognition is very important. Equally important is our commitment to recognize indigenous peoples and local communities," said the Minister of Transportation.

He also called for cross-border cooperation and global data exchange to combat environmental crimes such as illegal wildlife trade and deforestation.

In addition, the Minister of Transportation emphasized Indonesia's readiness to become an active partner in the global coalition in order to stop environmental crimes and preserve natural heritage for future generations.

"Let's go beyond rhetoric towards true solidarity. Indonesia is ready to collaborate, together we can ensure that our natural heritage is sustainable for future generations," he said.

United for Wildlife Executive Director, Tom Clements, welcomed Indonesia's commitment. He assessed that the move to recognize 1.4 million hectares of customary forests reflects Indonesia's continued leadership in suppressing deforestation in recent years.

“Ini merupakan contoh kepemimpinan yang menginspirasi dalam melindungi manusia dan planet ini. Dengan mendukung masyarakat lokal, Indonesia menunjukkan bahwa tata kelola hutan yang kuat adalah kunci untuk mengatasi kejahatan lingkungan dan melestarikan warisan alam bersama,” kata Tom.

This is an example of inspiring leadership in protecting humans and the planet. By supporting local communities, Indonesia shows that strong forest governance is the key to tackling environmental crimes and preserving shared natural heritage," said Tom.