Thursday, February 20, 2025, marked a new chapter of regional leadership in Indonesia with the simultaneous inauguration of at least 961 regional heads by President Prabowo Subianto. This momentum brings new hope for various sectors, including environmental protection.

A month after the inauguration, on March 21, the world will commemorate International Forest Day. The annual commemoration serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting forests as the bulwark of life-sustaining ecosystems.

It should be noted that our forests are facing serious problems. Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) shows that in the last 10 years, deforestation reached 7.7 million hectares (ha). Meanwhile, a report from MADANI Berkelanjutan noted that more than 200,000 ha of forests in Indonesia were burned during July-August 2024.

Unfortunately, amidst these alarming figures, environmental issues and forest sustainability are still marginalized from the political agenda, both at the national and regional levels. In fact, the main role of forests is not in doubt in mitigating climate change, preventing floods and landslides, and supporting the economy.

Article 33 paragraph (3) of the 1945 Constitution clearly states that the utilization of natural resources must be aimed at the prosperity of the people. However, practices in the field often say otherwise.

Many regional heads prioritize projects that bring personal benefits by providing a red carpet for corporations in clearing land, especially palm oil and mining. The process often sacrifices natural sustainability through the practice of forest burning.

Regional heads play a vital role in managing forest resources in their areas. However, the question is, do our regional heads have a clear environmental vision? How many of them really care about forest sustainability as opposed to those who only think about their personal interests?

We need leaders who have a vision and dare to take progressive policies, especially in addressing the increasing problems of forest management.

Data from Pramitaqwati and Rosnawati (2024) in their Analysis of Illegal Logging Decisions Against Protected Forests in Indonesia shows a surge in the number of court decisions related to illegal logging cases in the 2005-2022 period.

For example, the number of cases increased significantly from only two cases in 2005 to 188 cases in 2020. Although the number of cases decreased to 23 in 2022, the figure remains a danger alarm because illegal logging is still a serious threat to forest sustainability.

In addition to supervision, another step that needs to be ensured is the application of firmer administrative sanctions to rogue forest utilization license holders (PBPH).

For example, PP 23/2021 actually regulates fines of up to 10 times the forest resource provision (PSDH) for violations such as logging beyond tolerance or not measuring forest products according to procedures. Has this regulation been properly enforced, or is there still selective logging?

The close relationship between politicians in the capital and regions with plantation or mining business owners is one of the main reasons why pro-environmental policies are difficult to implement. In fact, according to Auriga Nusantara data, out of 257,000 ha of deforestation in 2023, most of it occurred in state forest areas. Therefore, the government needs to ensure indiscriminate law enforcement to provide a deterrent effect.

KEEPING ASA

Indonesia’s forests hold hope for countless lives that need to be preserved.

In 1950, Indonesia’s forest area was estimated at 193 million ha. Ironically, data from the Directorate General of Forestry Planning and Environmental Governance (PKTL) of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry in 2019 shows that the remaining forest area is only 94.1 million ha or only half of it. With a trend of losing 7 million ha of forest in the last decade, our forests will disappear in just a few decades without real action.

Now, after the simultaneous inauguration of the 961 regional heads, the future of forests is practically in the hands of the new leaders. They have direct control over the management of forest areas in their regions.

Newly appointed regional heads must prove that they are not just political actors, but leaders capable of protecting forests as a precious legacy for future generations. Our forests must not be allowed to fade at the crossroads.

By Ismail Khozen, Lecturer at the Department of Fiscal Administration, University of Indonesia

Source: koran.bisnis.com