Access Partnership’s Economics Strategy Team has had the privilege of working extensively with the Tropical Forest Alliance over the past decade on understanding and addressing commodity-production-related tropical deforestation. In particular, our work has focused on addressing tropical deforestation in Indonesia, where a strong “decade of progress” has reduced deforestation levels to a third of the decade’s peak. As Indonesia now pivots towards a “decade of delivery” to achieve net-zero deforestation by 2030, the TFA identified the need to build awareness of relevant policy developments in Indonesia among corporate stakeholders related to deforestation and related supply chain risks.
In service of this objective, TFA commissioned the Economics Strategy Team to develop regular regional deforestation policy briefings for Indonesia, with the aim of providing comprehensive and impartial information on the policy and geopolitical context related to deforestation and the forest-positive agenda in Indonesia. The briefs were intended to help downstream supply chain companies work with Indonesian policymakers, as well as provide a range of stakeholders across the commodity value chain with relevant information to engage with each other. Aspects covered by these briefs include policy developments and updates from current events related to forest protection, sustainable land use, agricultural production and trade, green finance, climate, and land rights.
Six briefing documents were circulated with key stakeholders over 2022-23, each containing 3-5 pages of highlights from the deforestation policy environment. These are now available publicly. They include:
- Briefing 1: Evaluating the status of deforestation policy, prepared in August 2022. This brief was a primer on the progress made against deforestation in the last decade, major stakeholder groups involved, current political and socioeconomic issues, and relevant future trends. Available here: https://www.tropicalforestalliance.org/assets/Uploads/Policy-landscape-deforestation_Indonesia_August-2022.pdf
- Briefing 2: Expectations ahead of major multilateral events, prepared in October 2022. This brief summarised key updates on deforestation-related policy ahead of major multilateral events in the last quarter of 2022, including the G20 summit, UNFCCC COP27, and UNCBD COP15. Available here: https://www.tropicalforestalliance.org/assets/Uploads/Expectations-for-G20_COP15_COP28_Indonesia_October-2022.pdf
- Briefing 3: Key recent developments and COP outcomes, prepared in January 2023. This brief covered key developments from the last quarter of 2022, focusing on major multilateral events such as UNFCCC COP27, UNCBD COP15, and the G20 Summit. Available here: https://www.tropicalforestalliance.org/assets/Uploads/Q4-2022-major-developments_Indonesia_January-2023.pdf
- Briefing 4: New year, new developments, prepared in March 2023. This brief highlighted key developments from the first two months of 2023, focusing on a flurry of government action, civil society wins, reactions to new EU laws, and news from the broader commodity production landscape in Indonesia. Available here: https://www.tropicalforestalliance.org/assets/Uploads/Q1-2023-major-developments_Indonesia_March-2023.pdf
- Briefing 5: Taking stock of progress and priorities ahead of election season, prepared in May 2023. This special edition functions as a “cheat sheet” of progress against deforestation under recent federal and subnational administrations ahead of the general elections in 2024, for which campaigning is due to begin later this year. Available here: https://www.tropicalforestalliance.org/assets/Uploads/Election-priorities_Indonesia_May-2023.pdf
- Briefing 6: Navigating EUDR and rounding up recent updates, prepared in July 2023. This brief functions as a short primer on how Indonesian stakeholders are viewing the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), as well as covering the latest policy and industry developments on deforestation in Indonesia. Available here: https://www.tropicalforestalliance.org/assets/Uploads/EUDR_Indonesia_July-2023.pdf
- Appendix: Deforestation policies, prepared in August 2022 and updated in March 2023. This Appendix is intended to be read in conjunction with the main documents above and covers details of major laws related to deforestation in Indonesia, and the prevailing nomenclature on forests. Available here: https://www.tropicalforestalliance.org/assets/Uploads/Appendix-deforestation-policies-Indonesia_March-2023.pdf
Interested in working with us to tackle deforestation in your supply chain? Reach out to us at [email protected] to find out how we can support you!
