INDONESIA, RAKYAT NEWS – According to a recent report by Forest Watch Indonesia (FWI), Papua has emerged as the most affected region in Indonesia for deforestation, with an alarming loss of 552,000 hectares between 2022 and 2023. This figure represents over 70% of the total deforestation across the country, which totaled 753,000 hectares during the same period.

Following Papua, Kalimantan recorded the second-highest deforestation at 72,000 hectares, while Sumatra ranked third with a loss of 64,000 hectares. Other regions, such as Maluku and Sulawesi, experienced 29,000 and 28,000 hectares of deforestation, respectively. In contrast, Bali and Nusa Tenggara saw minimal deforestation, with 4,000 hectares, while Java reported just 1,000 hectares.

In addition to deforestation, Indonesia faces significant wildfire risks. FWI reported 1,952 hotspots across the country as of September 2024, with 46% located within concession areas. This situation raises concerns about land management and environmental protection in these regions.

Kalimantan had the highest concentration of hotspots, with 1,051 recorded incidents. Following Kalimantan, Bali and Nusa Tenggara reported 357 hotspots, while Sumatra ranked third with 294. Java recorded 117 hotspots, indicating a troubling trend in forest fires.

Siti Nurbaya Bakar, Indonesia’s Minister of Environment and Forestry, stated that deforestation rates have drastically decreased over the past decade. She highlighted that in 2015, Indonesia experienced 2.6 million hectares of forest fires, but by 2022, that number had dropped to 200,000 hectares.

The Minister further noted that deforestation fell to 100,000 hectares in 2023, a significant reduction from 1.09 million hectares recorded between 2014 and 2015. These statistics reflect the government’s ongoing efforts to combat deforestation and manage forest resources sustainably.