According to a government evaluation, a significant amount of forest in Indonesia’s West Papua region has been designated for oil palm plantations. However, it can still be preserved. Suppose the concession holders are persuaded to give up control of the property.
In that case, scientists suggest that maintaining the palm industry in West Papua may avert greenhouse gas production. The gas production can be equivalent to two-fifths of Indonesia’s total yearly emissions.
Palm Industry in West Papua for Better Economy
A total of 24 palm oil businesses own 576,090 hectares (1.42 million acres) of land in West Papua, of which intact forest covers 383,431 hectares (947,479 acres), or almost 2.5 times the size of London.
According to a recently conducted government examination of oil palm license holders, this region remains undeveloped due to a laundry list of administrative and legal infractions committed by the corporations, which precludes them from clearing the forest and beginning to plant oil palms.
According to Arief Wijaya, senior manager for climate and forests at the think tank World Resources Institute (WRI) Indonesia, this forest area is thought to contain 185.5 million tons of above-ground carbon dioxide. That is around 40% of Indonesia’s annual emissions, to put it another way.
According to Arief, preserving these 383,000 hectares of palm industry in West Papua will significantly cut emissions. If possible, it will assist both the West Papuan government’s goal of protecting 70% of its territory and the success of reducing deforestation as one of our climate targets.
Dominggus Mandacan, the governor of West Papua, repeated the call for saving the woods. According to him, as stated by local media, “We will campaign for the areas that might potentially be protected based on the conclusion of this license review to be administered by Indigenous people with sustainability principles.”
Conservation Commitment
According to Franky, broader initiatives to enhance the administration of the palm oil business should also include acknowledging Indigenous rights.
The head of the West Papua provincial plantations department, Yacob Fonataba, asserted that the local government is serious about resolving these issues and promised that a replay of the Boven Digoel situation would not occur in the palm industry in West Papua.
He claimed that through some initiatives, the government had pledged to protect the province’s remaining rainforests. It is including the designation of West Papua as the world’s first “conservation province” in 2015. Then, the signing of the Manokwari Declaration in 2018. Also it is to grant Indigenous peoples greater access to their lands.
The province’s development framework is changed from “conservation” to “sustainable development” in the Manokwari Declaration. It bears the name of the provincial capital. The local zoning rules need to be amended to accurately represent Indigenous communities’ rights to the woodlands they call home. A review of all active land concessions for mining, logging, and agriculture is also necessary.
Wrapping Up
In 2018, the government designated just 36% of the province of West Papua as protected territory. meanwhile, the remaining 76% open to development. The government intends to reserve 70 percent of the section as protected or conservation areas following the Manokwari Declaration.
Yacob stated at a press conference that “we have committed with [current] legislation which stipulates that if palm industry in West Papua concessions doesn’t satisfy standards, we would take them back and engage with stakeholders and Indigenous peoples to manage them.” “Our spatial plan concluded that protected woods made up 70% of our territory. This will be secured and left alone.
According to Benidiktus Hery Wijayanto, director of the West Papua province agriculture department, these pledges distinguish the present efforts from prior attempts to withdraw permits.
He assured Mongabay that no more permits for the withdrawn concessions would be granted to other businesses. “However, that will vary depending on each district head. Because everyone is watching them, it will be hard for them to provide additional permits.
According to Dian from the KPK, comparable measures must be taken against other businesses. It inlcudes logging and mining, to safeguard West Papua’s forests.
We must work with miners to extend and offer forest maps. We cannot limit our discussion to palm oil”, he continued. It is hoped that a zoning and monitoring system will be developed.
