Indonesia expands mangrove restoration effort with regional plantings and carbon‑trading push

Indonesia's Environment Minister Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat launched a national "ecological repentance" program for 2026‑2028 aimed at rehabilitating degraded mangrove forests, which account for about 30 % of the country's 3.4 million hectares. The strategy links mangrove restoration to coastal resilience, climate‑change mitigation and livelihoods, and cites a pledge from mining giant Freeport Indonesia to restore roughly 12,000 ha of mangroves nationwide.

Local actions are underway across the archipelago. In Semarang, the Rotary Club Bimasena partnered with community groups to plant 1,000 mangrove seedlings along Tambak Rejo’s shoreline. In West Nusa Tenggara, Governor Lalu Muhamad Iqbal announced plans for a regional state‑owned enterprise to manage carbon‑credit trading, complementing mangrove planting in Labuan Alas, Sumbawa. Meanwhile, Brebes officials reported new mangrove plantings to strengthen coastal protection.

The government emphasizes that mangrove restoration supports green‑economy objectives, provides natural flood barriers, creates marine habitats and generates new revenue streams through carbon markets, while urging broader stakeholder participation.