The national climate strategy of Indonesia aims to achieve net emissions by 2060. An important part of this strategy is that forests absorb 140 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, equal to taking 30 million cars off the road.
Riau’s contribution to this goal is crucial.
The province has historically confronted with some of the highest percentages of deforestation and land degradation, largely due to peat tops, fires and rapid conversion from land use to agriculture.
Green for Riau
The Green for Riau Initiative was launched earlier this year and transforms the implementation of forest -based climate solutions into these challenges.
“Economic and climate goals can co -exist,” says Abdul Wahid, Governor of Riau. “This is what our program is about. We are proud to point out the way to show that local action can deliver global results.”
The new initiative, a collaboration between the government of Indonesia, the UN Milieu Program (UNEP) and the food and agricultural organization (FAO), with the support of the United Kingdom, finds local solutions for global problems.
Unic Jakarta
Indonesia is the home of enormous tropical rain forests.
Local leadership is the key
Local leadership is the key to reaching the Sustainable development goals (SDGS). While national governments adopt legislation and set up the policy framework, the implementation of this policy is falling to local authorities that lead the transition to a green economy.
Almost half of the seven million inhabitants of Riau live in rural areas, many of whom are dependent on forests for their resources of existence. The initiative supports these communities through sustainable agroforestry, ecotourism and non-timber angry products, which means that conservation efforts go hand in hand with economic development.
“By aligning provincial action to national climate goals, Riau shows how the sustainable development goals can be achieved from the ground,” says Gita Sabharwal, the UN -Ondeezee coordinator for Indonesia, on her return from Riau last month. “This shows how local leadership can stimulate national and global impact.”
Rewarding emission reductions
The core of the transformation is the Redd+ mechanism, which stands for reducing deforestation and forest degradation.
The mechanism supports and rewards measurable emission reductions. Riau, with nearly five million hectares of carbon -rich peat area, is ready to become the first province of Indonesia to gain access to Redd+ Finance.
The approach is also about marrying technology with permission and usual knowledge. International organizations calculate carbon credits with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, satellite images, field verification and carbon prediction models, in accordance with global Redd+ guidelines.
AI meets generations of local wisdom
In addition to forest monitoring, AI can generate robust data required to unlock climate financing, to support emission -tracking, reporting verification and benefits.
But the effectiveness of these new technologies, in particular in the decision -making of the environment, depends on the knowledge that has been included as input.
To be transforming, AI systems must be designed to respect, integrate and learn usual knowledge systems.
“You cannot be completely dependent on AI for the decision -making of the environment,” said that H. Marjohan Yusuf, chairman of the Council of Customary Institute of Riau.
“It must take into account Adat, Or local wisdom, traditional practices developed and learned by observing nature for generations. “
During the launch of Green for Riau, usual communities signed a joint statement, in accordance with national legal frameworks and policy that recognizes and strengthen the rights and roles of usual communities in forest protection.
This commitment will guide the development of guarantees and the distribution of benefits in accordance with the information system for social guarantees of Indonesia in accordance with national and international standards.
“This project not only protects forests; the authorized also communities,” says Marlene Nilsson, deputy director of UNEP in Asia-Pacific. “The leadership of Riau is a model for stimulating climate action and at the same time supporting living and biodiversity.”
Unic Jakarta
Green Riau is a joint effort with Indonesia, local leaders and UN agencies to protect forests and to promote climate goals.
Model for inclusive climate financing
With the support of the UN and commitment of the community, new schedules offer Redd+ incentives to locals to protect forests instead of exploiting. This also strengthens the board of land use and draws up financial frameworks to attract both public and private investments in forests.
The benefits go beyond carbon. Riau is the home of iconic and endangered species such as the Sumatran Orang -utan, Tiger and Elephant. Protecting these habitats protects biodiversity and improves the climate feud.
The initiative is the management of payments -based payments at the provincial level based on results, which offers a scalable model for inclusive, high integrity forest financing. This will be done by Redd’s facilitation of mutual recognition schemes between the government and international CO2 credit programs.
Forest transition can unlock millions
These efforts can unlock hundreds of millions of dollars annually in CO2 financing and develop an investment pipeline, creating a sustainable current flow for nature conservation and development.
“Riau will be the first Indonesian province to take worldwide standards for sustainable forest management,” said Mrs. Sabharwal. “This daring step will unlock high integrity, on results -based payments and show how worldwide standards can translate into sustainable, inclusive growth.”
At the Redd+ Investable Roundtable in 2025 in London, worldwide investors have shown a strong interest in supporting the forest transition from Riau, said Mrs. Nilsson, an example for other areas of law in Indonesia and then.
“The interest of financiers indicates that climate solutions that are rooted in local leadership and usual knowledge are not alone, but viable,” she said.
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