I am thrilled to share the news that the Government of Indonesia will stop clearing forests and other wild lands for a project that had been, until yesterday, the largest deforestation project in the world. This is a huge win for nature and climate.
President Prabowo’s Special Envoy for Environment and Climate Change, Pak Hashim Djojohadikusumo, and his Special Envoy for International Trade and Multilateral Cooperation, Ibu Mari Pangestu, announced the move at the Indonesia Sustainability Forum in Jakarta yesterday. This policy shift will advance President Prabowo’s pledge to restore 12 million hectares of land throughout Indonesia, which is home to 10-15% of global biodiversity.
This announcement means that Indonesia will divert agricultural development away from habitats for endangered species such as tree kangaroos and birds of paradise, instead shifting it onto lands that have been previously cleared for agriculture and other uses. The government’s renewed focus on restoration and conservation is welcome, necessary, and cause for celebration.
This announcement comes after many stakeholders – including civil society, political leaders, investors, companies, donors and more – voiced concerns about the project. After learning about this issue last year, Green Century sprang into action to ensure the forest protection wins that we and others helped secure over the last decade were not jeopardized, and to elevate global responsible investors’ perspective on this issue.
At New York Climate Week in 2025, we discussed nature and climate-related risks and opportunities, including this issue, with Indonesian government officials at a Business Roundtable event, and again at a meeting I arranged the following day between Pak Hashim and eight institutional investors.
To ensure the government was aware of the increasing investor concern about deforestation and nature loss, I then organized two investor trips to Jakarta in February and August of 2026, with financial institutions representing nearly $10 trillion in assets under management.
During both trips, co-led by Green Century and former US Ambassador to Indonesia Robert Blake, we met with dozens of senior government officials to share our perspective on the financial risks involved in clearing forests and wild lands. We also emphasized the benefits Indonesia stands poised to reap by channeling crop production onto already degraded lands.
With yesterday’s announcement, Indonesia has notched a huge win for nature and climate. We will be congratulating the Government of Indonesia on this significant announcement and stand ready to support their work to restore and conserve nature and biodiversity for generations to come.
Thank you for your investment in Green Century, which allows us to do what it takes to ensure we have a planet where nature can thrive.
— Annie Sanders, Director of Shareholder Advocacy