Jakarta – After nearly a decade of dedication to environmental restoration, Indonesia’s Peatland and Mangrove Restoration Agency (BRGM) is concluding its mission this December 2024, following Presidential Regulation No. 120 of 2020, the agency said in a statement on Thursday, March 20. BRGM said it has successfully restored 1.6 million hectares of peatland and rehabilitated 84,396 hectares of mangrove forests during its tenure.
BRGM was tasked with expediting peatland restoration and improving community welfare across seven provinces: Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, and Papua. Additionally, it led mangrove rehabilitation efforts in nine provinces, including North Sumatra, Riau, Riau Islands, Bangka Belitung, West Kalimantan, North Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, Papua, and West Papua.
The statement noted that BRGM’s efforts have revitalised crucial ecosystems and improved local communities’ livelihoods. The agency adopted a labour-intensive approach, creating jobs in green, blue, and creative economies. Key initiatives included sago cultivation, horticulture, and fish farming to bolster food security and alleviate poverty.
As BRGM enters its liquidation phase, it finalises asset and responsibility transfers to relevant ministries. The agency expressed gratitude to its partners, including government institutions, local authorities, NGOs, academia, and local communities.
Recognising that peatland and mangrove restoration is long-term, BRGM said there is a need for sustained commitment. These ecosystems are critical in preventing fires, curbing carbon emissions, maintaining Indonesia’s maritime boundaries, and supporting coastal and peatland communities.
BRGM hopes that peatland and mangrove conservation will remain a national priority, contributing to Indonesia’s FOLU Net Sink 2030 target and the Long-Term Strategy for Low Carbon and Climate Resilience aligned with the Paris Agreement for 2050. (nsh)
Banner photo: Degraded peatland in Sumatra (Taufan Kharis/shutterstock.com)
