Local Leadership Powers Indonesia's Climate Ambitions

Strategic Insights -

In a pioneering effort to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060, Indonesia's national climate strategy places significant emphasis on forests' role in absorbing CO2. Riau, a province with a history of high deforestation rates, is crucial in this endeavor, aiming to contribute 140 million tonnes of CO2 absorption annually. The Green for Riau initiative, launched earlier this year, is transforming the implementation of forest-based climate solutions and proving that local action can deliver global results.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Green for Riau initiative is a collaboration between the Government of Indonesia, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the United Kingdom, supporting local communities through sustainable agroforestry, eco-tourism, and non-timber forest products.
  • The initiative aims to reduce deforestation and land degradation in Riau, a province with nearly five million hectares of carbon-rich peatland, and is poised to become Indonesia's first province to access REDD+ finance.
  • Riau's leadership is key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and aligning provincial action with national climate goals, demonstrating how local leadership can drive national and global impact.
  • The initiative uses artificial intelligence (AI) tools, satellite imagery, field verification, and carbon forecasting models to calculate carbon credits and support emissions tracking, reporting, and verification.
  • Customary communities have signed a joint declaration, recognizing and strengthening their rights and roles in forest protection, and guiding the development of safeguards and the distribution of benefits.
  • The initiative has attracted interest from global investors, demonstrating the viability of climate solutions rooted in local leadership and customary knowledge.
  • Riau's forest transition could unlock hundreds of millions of dollars annually in carbon finance and develop an investment pipeline, creating a sustainable funding stream for conservation and development.

Statistics:

  • Indonesia aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060.
  • The Green for Riau initiative aims to absorb 140 million tonnes of CO2 annually, equivalent to taking 30 million cars off the road.
  • Riau has nearly five million hectares of carbon-rich peatland.
  • The initiative supports the livelihoods of nearly half of Riau's seven million residents who live in rural areas.
  • The initiative has attracted interest from global investors at the 2025 REDD+ investment roundtable in London.

Sources:

  • Riau's national climate strategy ( exact text not provided, mentioned in original article)
  • Green for Riau initiative (no date provided)
  • M2 Communications - PressWIRE (September 8, 2025)
  • United Nations News - "Local leadership powers Indonesia's climate ambitions" (no date provided)
  • United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) - Asia-Pacific
  • Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) - exact source not provided
  • Council of the Malay Customary Institute of Riau - exact source not provided