Indonesia biodiversity funding and forest protection debated at COP17

At the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Armenia, civil society organizations and activists have raised concerns regarding Indonesia's environmental management and biodiversity financing.

Activists held peaceful demonstrations to urge the Indonesian government to take more serious action against forest and land fires, which threaten national biodiversity. Protesters specifically highlighted the plight of the Tapanuli orangutan in North Sumatra, noting that the population declined from 767 individuals in 2011 to 716 in 2023. They also pointed to habitat loss and the impact of natural disasters, such as floods and landslides, on these endangered primates.

Simultaneously, the Indonesian government is seeking biodiversity financing and developing new financial instruments. However, the Justice Coalition for Our Planet (JustCOP) and other groups, including Walhi and Yayasan Pikul, have warned that these instruments may not address root causes. Critics argue that without improved governance, stricter law enforcement against environmental destruction, and the protection of community land rights, new financing models risk enabling environmental manipulation rather than genuine conservation.