Unlocking Indonesia's Biodiversity Potential: A Vision for Sustainable Growth

As one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, the role of Indonesia in protecting its own biodiversity has a positive impact on biodiversity conservation beyond its national boundaries. Harmonizing economic development with halting and reversing biodiversity loss and bringing nature into a path to recovery is a challenging task though.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is a global agreement that comprehensively addresses all aspects of biological diversity. As signatory to the CBD, Indonesia has developed the relevant strategies and action plans to guide all efforts towards the conservations of its biodiversity: the Biodiversity Action Plan (BAPI) in 1993, were followed by the Indonesian Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (IBSAP) spanning from 2002 to 2020.

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) was adopted during the CBD-COP15 meeting in 2022, following a four-year consultation and negotiation process. This historic Framework contains a level and scope of ambition that are unprecedented. It supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, builds on the Convention’s previous Strategic Plans, and charts a pathway to living in harmony with nature by 2050.

To bring this framework into practice, Indonesia has embarked in updating the Indonesia Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (IBSAP) and align its national targets with the GBF targets, which will contribute to a worldwide monitoring of the biodiversity conservation efforts.

The Ministry of National Development Planning (BAPPENAS) has been coordinating an inclusive and participatory IBSAP formulation process since the beginning of 2023, together with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (as National Focal Point of CBD), Ministry of Marine and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning, National Research and Innovation Agency, Indonesian Quarantine Authority, and jointly collaboration with development partners such as GIZ through Climate and Biodiversity Hub Indonesia and UNDP. The emphasis in an inclusive exercise calls for a multi-stakeholder approach and integration of terrestrial and marine biodiversity, while at the same time encourages institutional reinforcement and funding strategies to ensure adequate resources for IBSAP implementation.

The ongoing process of updating the IBSAP dovetails with the formulation of the national development plans, setting the stage for a transformative change to sustainable growth, as it was discussed thoroughly during the recent Steering Committee Coordination Meeting, which was held on February 13, 2024, in Jakarta. The meeting was attended by all relevant stakeholders from the ministries and agencies involved in the process and headed by Drs. Alue Dohong, M.Sc, Ph.D., the Vice Minister at Kementerian Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan (KLHK) and led by Dr.Vivi Yulaswati, MSc., the Deputy Minister for Maritime Affairs and Natural Resources at Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas Republic of Indonesia (Bappenas), alongside Prof. Dr. Satyawan Pudyatmoko, M.Sc., Director General of Conservation on Natural Resources and Ecosystem (Dirjen KSDAE) at Kementerian Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan .

The main decisions of the SCM were to ensure the inclusive development of the IBSAP, involving a diverse array of stakeholders, both state and non-state actors, guided by transformative principles. The document is currently undergoing a revision by the relevant ministries and agencies, targeting for an official launching during the next COP16 CBD in October this year.