Indonesia promotes mangrove restoration to heal environment

Sumbawa, W. Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA) - Environment Minister Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat is promoting a national “ecological repentance” initiative through mangrove rehabilitation as part of strategic efforts to restore degraded ecosystems and strengthen coastal resilience across Indonesia.

"Everyone needs to repent—not just the government and corporations, but also the community," Minister Jumhur stated after a mangrove planting event in Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara, on Tuesday (July 7).

The strategy, launched for the 2026–2028 period, places environmental carrying capacity as the foundational framework for all future national development policies.

Environment Ministry emphasized that accelerated economic growth can no longer come at the expense of environmental sustainability.

Instead, economic development must be balanced with strict environmental protection to ensure inclusive, long-term prosperity.

The urgency of the initiative is reflected in the country's mangrove condition. According to ministry data, about 30 percent—or approximately 700,000 hectares—of Indonesia’s total 3.4 million hectares of mangrove forests have been degraded due to land conversion and industrial pressures.

The government is therefore accelerating various mangrove rehabilitation initiatives to restore degraded coastal forest ecosystems throughout Indonesia.

According to Jumhur, restoring mangrove forests not only rehabilitates local ecosystems but also contributes significantly to global climate change mitigation.

"The carbon emission absorption capacity of mangroves can be around four to five times that of ordinary trees. Rehabilitation measures are essential to ensure mangrove sustainability," the minister explained.

Coastal ecosystem restoration serves as a crucial long-term investment for the safety of coastal communities' living spaces, he added.

Mangrove forests function as natural green infrastructure and a reliable protective barrier against the threats of abrasion, high waves, and seawater intrusion.

Furthermore, healthy mangrove ecosystems serve as critical breeding grounds for marine life, thereby directly supporting the daily livelihoods of traditional fishermen and local communities.

To ensure the success of the strategy, the ministry is encouraging all stakeholders to actively participate in expanding mangrove rehabilitation activities across the archipelago.

As an early benchmark of corporate alignment, Jumhur highlighted a major commitment from mining giant Freeport Indonesia.

The company has pledged to rehabilitate roughly 12,000 hectares of mangroves nationwide, targeting 10,000 hectares in Papua and an additional 2,000 hectares across other regional coasts.

"The government welcomes any activity aimed at restoring the environment," Jumhur said.

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Translator: Sugiharto Purnama, Yashinta Difa

Editor: Bayu Prasetyo

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