Indonesia and Japan are enhancing their collaboration on forest-based carbon projects, a move aimed at bolstering climate action and ecosystem restoration while supporting biodiversity and improving the livelihoods of local communities. This initiative is being pursued through the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM), which seeks to produce high-quality carbon credits under international climate agreements.
The partnership was discussed at the COP31 climate conference in Antalya, Türkiye, where Indonesia’s Deputy Forestry Minister Rohmat Marzuki met with Japan’s Environment Deputy Minister Hiroshi Ono. Indonesia presented a comprehensive strategy to restore 12 million hectares of degraded land and prevent deforestation across 50 million hectares. The plan also involves integrating carbon projects with social forestry programs covering 8.3 million hectares and developing 1.4 million hectares of customary forests.
Both nations are exploring the inclusion of peatlands and mangrove ecosystems in their carbon projects. Indonesia is particularly interested in attracting Japanese investment to support these efforts, aiming to provide reliable carbon credits while ensuring environmental protection and sustainable community livelihoods.
Japan, on the other hand, views this partnership as a means to achieve its goal of securing carbon credits equivalent to 100 million tonnes of CO₂ by 2030. The collaboration is expected to advance Indonesia’s ecosystem restoration goals while helping Japan meet its climate targets.