Indonesia has the world's third largest expanse of tropical forests. Indonesia has set a bold target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from the forest and land use sectors, and Norway supports the Government of Indonesia's efforts to realize its commitment.
Therefore, Indonesia and Norway have entered into a partnership, which was formalised in a Letter of Intent back in 2010.
Norway committed up to 1 billion USD to support Indonesian efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation of forests and peat. The value of the Norwegian kroner fluctuates against the US dollar, the Letter of Intent therefore fixed the exchange rate at 1 USD to 6 NOK. Since then, Indonesia has taken decisive action to reduce its forest and peat related greenhouse gas emissions.
Norway has provided technical and financial support through the bilateral cooperation, multilateral institutions and civil society organizations.
Indonesian forests and climate change
Tens of millions of people call the Indonesian rainforest their home, and many more depend on the water and other ecosystem services these forests deliver.
The Indonesian forests are also the habitats for several endangered species, like the orangutan and the Sumatra tiger.
The rapid deforestation in Indonesia is therefore of great national and international concern.
Deforestation and climate change
Indonesia's remaining rainforests play a crucial role for the world's climate.
In Sumatra, Kalimantan and Papua, parts of the forests grow on large, deap peatlands. These forest and peat areas store large amounts of carbon. Destruction and degradation of forests and peat cause large emissions of greenhouse gases, leading to climate change.
The majority of Indonesia's greenhouse gas emissions stem from deforestation and degradation of peat.
Indonesia's climate targets
In 2016, Indonesia communicated its first Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. In the NDC, Indonesia committed to reducing the national greenhouse gas emissions by 29 per cent compared to a business as usual scenario by 2030. With international support, Indonesia's emission reduction target for 2030 can increase to 41 per cent compared to the business as usual scenario.
The land use sector and REDD+
Since the majority of Indonesia's greenhouse gas emissions stem from the forest and land use sector, reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) will be important to achieve the national climate goals. This makes Indonesia a natural partner for Norway's International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI).
The bilateral REDD+ cooperation between Indonesia and Norway
The bilateral REDD+ partnership between Indonesia and Norway aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and degradation of forests and peat. The partnership is guided by the Letter of Intent signed in May 2010.
The two countries seek to scale up financing, actions and results over time, based on the principle of contributions for delivery (results based payments).
In this section you can read more about our bilateral cooperation, our support to civil society and other partners working in and with Indonesia.
Read more about the cooperation on climate change and forests:
- More about the bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Norway
Norway's International Climate and Forest Initiative (Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment)