Indonesia’s Mega Deforestation Plan Sparks Global Alarm Over Biodiversity and Climate Impact

(Source – Indian Express, Section – The World, Page – 16)

Analysis of the news:                                                                               

Biodiversity at Risk

• Indonesia, home to the world’s third-largest rainforest, harbors endangered species like orangutans and elephants.
• Experts warn that replacing biodiverse forests with monoculture plantations will devastate habitats, erase species, and endanger indigenous communities reliant on forests for survival.

Food Security and Renewable Energy Ambitions

• The deforestation is part of long-term food estate plans initiated under former President Widodo and expanded by current President Prabowo Subianto.
• The goal is to boost food self-sufficiency and produce bioethanol, a renewable fuel, as part of a broader push for energy independence.

Bioethanol Production Potential and Challenges

• While Indonesia has vast farmland potential, past attempts at bioethanol production faltered due to a lack of sustainable feedstocks.
• The new push involves a 4.3 million-hectare estate, mainly in Papua and Kalimantan, raising concerns due to its overlap with ecologically and culturally sensitive areas.

Environmental and Social Fallout

• Clearing forests accelerates soil erosion, disrupts ecosystems, and worsens climate change.
• The Merauke estate in Papua alone spans over 3 million hectares, threatening unique ecoregions and indigenous livelihoods.

Reforestation Efforts: A Limited Solution

• The government plans to reforest 6.5 million hectares of degraded land.
• However, experts caution that newly planted forests cannot match the ecological value of old-growth forests, which are vital for carbon storage, water regulation, and biodiversity.

Conclusion

• Indonesia’s ambitious plan to boost food and energy security through large-scale deforestation poses a serious threat to biodiversity, indigenous communities, and climate stability.
• While reforestation is proposed as a mitigation step, it cannot replace the ecological value of natural forests, making it imperative to balance development goals with environmental conservation.