PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN | 1

Planned Deforestation Forest Policy in Papua PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA | 3

CITATION: Koalisi Memantau. 2021. Planned Deforestation: Forest Policy in Papua. February, 2021. , Indonesia.

Dalam Bahasa Indonesia:

Koalisi Indonesia Memantau. 2021. Menatap ke Timur: Deforestasi dan Pelepasan Kawasan Hutan di Tanah Papua. Februari, 2021. Jakarta, Indonesia.

Photo cover: Ulet Ifansasti/Greenpeace PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA | 3

1. INDONESIAN DEFORESTATION: TARGETING FOREST-RICH PROVINCES

Deforestation, or loss of forest cover, has fallen in Indonesia in recent years. Consequently, Indonesia has received awards from the international community, deeming the country to have met its global emissions reduction commitments. The Norwegian Government, in line with the Norway – Indonesia Letter of Intent signed during the presidency, paid USD 56 million,1 equivalent to IDR 812 billion, that recognizes Indonesia’s emissions achievements.2 Shortly after that, the Green Climate Fund, a funding facility established by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), agreed to a funding proposal submitted by Indonesia for USD 103.8 million3, equivalent to IDR 1.46 trillion, that supports further reducing deforestation. 923,050 923,550 782,239 713,827 697,085 639,760 511,319 553,954 508,283 494,428 485,494 461,387 460,397 422,931 386,328 365,552 231,577 231,577 176,568 184,560

2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019

Figure 1. Annual deforestation in Indonesia from 2001-2019 (in hectares). Deforestation data was obtained by combining the Global Forest Change dataset from the University of Maryland’s Global Land Analysis and Discovery (GLAD) and land cover maps from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF). Annual deforestation was calculated based on gross forest cover loss (tree cover loss) from 2001-2019 beyond a natural forest cover baseline for 2000 from MoEF. This means, deforestation in the figure only shows tree cover loss from MoEF natural forest cover for 2000, but not all tree cover loss in GLAD.

Natural forest cover is a combination of six MoEF land cover classes: dryland primary forest, dryland secondary forest, primary peat swamp forest, secondary peat swamp forest, primary mangrove forest, and secondary mangrove forest. Tree cover loss is where canopy cover loss is detected (stand replacement disturbance) at 30-x-30-meter resolution, as per pixel size in Landsat imagery.

Data sources (including for Figure 3, Figure 5, Figure 6, Figure 7, Figure 8 and Figure 11): • Global Forest Change 2001-2019. Global Land Analysis and Discovery (GLAD) University of Maryland; downloaded from http://earthenginepartners.appspot.com/ science-2013-global-forest/download_v1.7.html on 20 November 2020. • Land Cover 2000. Directorate of Forestry Resources Inventory and Monitoring, Directorate General of Forestry Planning and Environmental Governance, Ministry of Environment and Forestry; downloaded from http://greenpeace.org.seasia/id/global/seasia/indonesia/code/forest-map/data.html on 3 March 2018.

1. Norway to pay NOK 530 million for reduced deforestation in Indonesia https://www. regjeringen.no/en/aktuelt/noreg-betaler-530-millionar-for-redusert-avskoging-i-indonesia/ id2722135/ 2. Norway to pay IDR 812 billion for greenhouse gas emission reductions in Indonesia https:// en.antaranews.com/news/151822/norway-to-pay-rp812-billion-for-gas-emission-reduction- in-indonesia 3. Green Climate Fund agrees Indonesia’s REDD+ proposal for results-based payment of USD 103.8 million https://setkab.go.id/green-climate-fund-setujui-redd-usulan-indonesia-results- based-payment-usd1038/ 4 | PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA | 5

Deforestasi, Boven However, a closer look at the data indicates the need for caution in reading these Digoel, Merauke developments as definitive progress, particularly if we consider deforestation in the Tahun 2007. provinces that contain most of Indonesia’s remaining forest. These ten provinces – Foto: Yudi Nofiandi Papua, , Central , , North Kalimantan, , Central , , and – contain 80% of Indonesia’s 88 million hectares of forest cover.

Papua Central East North Kalimantan Kalimantan Kalimantan Area: 33,847,928 hectares 7,278,676 6,494,977 5,663,890

Other 24 Provinces in Indonesia 18,060,490 West Moluccas* Sulawesi Papua Province: 24,993,957 5,516,651 4,988,917 3,807,331 West Papua Province: 8,853,971 Aceh 3,065,627

*) Maluku and North Maluku provinces

Figure 2. Distribution of natural forest cover in Indonesia. In this figure, Papua and West Papua provinces are combined as Papua, similarly Maluku and North Maluku provinces are combined as the Moluccas. Eighty percent of Indonesia’s natural forest is found in ten provinces in these eight regions. In this publication these ten provinces are referred to as forest-rich provinces.

Data source: Land Cover 2018. Directorate of Forestry Resources Inventory and Monitoring, Directorate General of Forestry Planning and Environmental Governance, Ministry of Environment and Forestry; downloaded from http://geoportal.menlhk.go.id/arcgis/rest/services/MoEF on 11 December 2020. 4 | PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA | 5

200.000 n 2015 n 2016 n 2017 n 150.000 2018 n 2019

100.000

50.000

0 East Central Papua West North Central Moluccas Aceh Kalimantan Kalimantan Kalimantan Kalimantan Sulawesi

Figure 3. Annual deforestation from 2015-2019 in forest-rich provinces in Indonesia (in hectares). This figure shows annual deforestation from one year prior to peak deforestation in Indonesia in 2016, as well as subsequent years with the intention of showing a before and after scenario so trends are apparent. Other than Central Kalimantan, where deforestation has fallen drastically since its peak, in other forest-rich provinces, despite deforestation falling, it has remained relatively high, and in some forest-rich provinces, i.e., Maluku and North Maluku, deforestation has even increased.

While deforestation rates at the national level have fallen significantly in the last five years, rates in forest-rich provinces remain persistently high. This indicates the need for a more in-depth analysis policy to better understand the current dynamics of deforestation and what they mean for the trajectory of Indonesia’s forest conservation efforts. The two provinces of Papua and West Papua (henceforth referred to collectively as Papua), with 33 million ha of remaining forest, represents one of the most important areas to focus this kind of attention.

2. DEFORESTATION IN PAPUA: POLITICAL DYNAMICS

The special status of Papua, was recognized by the on Special Autonomy law. However, it is not fully enforceable because it conflicts with both the Regional Government Law and other sectoral regulations to create an uncertain policy environment. A lack of clarity over which regulations are lex specialis has resulted in conflicting regulations in Papua, including those governing the management of its forests.

A lack of precision in the national legal framework, particularly in gauging impacts and the transition process, has also contributed to forest management instability. 6 | PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA | 7

The Law on Regional Government, for instance, arbitrarily shifted authority over forest management from district to provincial governments, and authority over the mining sector from regional to central government, leading to a vacuum of effective management on the ground.

Each time new districts were formed, the lack of definitive administrative boundaries, functional regional government organizational aparatus, or robust

Figure 4. Fragmentation of administrative regions in Papua. This topic is relevant because in addition to being involved in managing and/or overseeing forestry permits, regional heads have the authority to issue plantation and mining business permits. Inside forest estates, mining business permits must be accompanied by forest estate lease-use permits, while plantation business permits should only operate in areas that have already secured a forest estate release from the Minister of Forestry.

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Jayawijaya Jayawijaya Yahukimo YahukimoPegunungan Bintang Tolikara Biak Numfor Supiori Jayapura (kota)

Keerom Jayapura Sarmi

Waropen Yapen Waropen Kepulauan Yapen PAPUA PROVINCE PAPUA

Boven Digoel Merauke Mappi Asmat

Puncak Jaya

Paniai

Nabire Mimika Fakfak Kaimana Teluk Bintuni Teluk Wondama

Manokwari

WEST PAPUA PROVINCE WEST PAPUA Sorong Sorong Selatan Raja Ampat Sorong (kota) 6 | PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA | 7

development planning has resulted in regional autonomy becoming a stimulus for deforestation in Indonesia. In 1996, there were only 14 districts in Papua. The number had increased to 40 by 2020. With authority to grant oil palm plantation and mining concession licenses, manage part of the forest estate, and control and oversee forest production being delegated to regional governments, the political dynamics and legalization processes surrounding regional division became open doors for conversion of natural forest.

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 SAAT INI

Jayawijaya Yalimo Yalimo YalimoLanny Jaya Lanny Jaya LannyMamberamo Jaya Tengah Mamberamo Tengah MamberamoNduga Tengah Nduga Nduga Yahukimo Pegunungan Bintang Tolikara Biak Numfor Supiori Jayapura (kota) Jayapura Keerom Sarmi Mamberamo Raya Mamberamo Raya Waropen Kepulauan Yapen Merauke Boven Digoel Mappi Asmat Puncak Jaya Puncak Puncak Deiyai Deiyai Intan Jaya Intan Jaya Paniai Nabire Dogiyai Dogiyai Mimika Fakfak Kaimana Teluk Bintuni Teluk Wondama Manokwari Selatan Pegunungan Arfak Manokwari Tambraw Tambraw Sorong Maybrat Maybrat Sorong Selatan Raja Ampat Sorong (kota) 8 | PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA | 9

Over the last two decades, natural forest cover in Papua has depleted by 663,443 hectares, 29% of which occurred from 2001-2010 and 71% from 2011-2019. This averaged 34,918 hectares of deforestation a year, with the highest level occurring in 2015 when 89,881 hectares of natural forest were lost in Papua.

All of the above constitute habitus for forest management in Papua with implications for deforestation. Over the last two decades, natural forest cover in Papua has depleted by 663,443 hectares, 29% of which occurred from 2001-2010 and 71% from 2011-2019. This averaged 34,918 hectares of deforestation a year, with the highest level occurring in 2015 when 89,881 hectares of natural forest were lost in Papua.

Figure 5 below shows the trend for increased deforestation over the last 20 years in Papua. Despite annual deforestation falling since its peak year of 2015, year-to-year the area of deforestation remains relatively high. 89,881 80,043 59,994 49,107 45,706 41,302 38,355 36,085 27,423 27,008 26,810 22,710 22,423 21,210 19,036 16,978 14,708 13,230 11,433

2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019

Figure 5. Annual deforestation from 2001-2019 in Papua and West Papua provinces (in hectares). Following regional autonomy, deforestation has consistently been higher than during the previous era. 8 | PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA | 9

3. PAPUA DEFORESTATION: BY DISTRICT Deforestasi untuk pembangunan kelapa sawit PT Megakarya Eighty-seven percent of deforestation in Papua over the last 20 years has Jaya Raya, di Boven occurred in 20 districts, or in half of all districts on the island. The largest area Digoel, 2018. Pelepasan of deforestation has occurred in Merauke district (123,049 ha), followed by Boven kawasan hutan terhadap Digoel district (51,600 ha). It is worth remembering that Boven Digoel, together with areal ini dilakukan pada 2012. Mappi and Asmat districts, were once parts of Merauke. Local political elites are Foto: Ulet Ifansasti/ pushing for these four districts to become a separate province named South Papua. Greenpeace In total, this region has accounted for 203,006 hectares of deforestation, or almost one third of all deforestation in Papua.

Figure 6 shows that deforestation levels are relatively even in West Papua province, with the largest deforested areas in the districts of Teluk Bintuni (33,443 ha), Sorong (33,433 ha) and Fakfak (31,776 ha). 10 | PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA | 11

Figure 6. Annual deforestation per district from 2001-2019 in Papua, showing increases in deforestation in every district over the last five years.This figure presents the twenty districts representing 87% of deforestation in Papua and West Papua provinces throughout 2001-2019. Deforestation in the other twenty districts has amounted to 86,369 hectares, or 13% of all deforestation in the two provinces.

Raja Ampat (in hectares) n 2001-2005 Asmat n 2006-2010 Deiyai n 2011-2015 n 2016-2019 Sorong Selatan Mappi Mamberamo Raya Manokwari Sarmi Yahukimo Pegunungan Bintang Mimika Kaimana Jayapura Keerom Fakfak Nabire Sorong Teluk Bintuni Boven Digoel Merauke

0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000 140,000

The highest levels of deforestation in Papua have occurred under Minister of Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya, who has held office since the first term of ’s presidency. 10 | PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA | 11

Deforestation in 2001-2019 <10,000 hectares 10,000-20,000 20,000-30,000 30,000-40,000 >40,000 12 | PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA | 13

Thousand hectares 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Boven Digoel Teluk Bintuni Kaimana Mimika Sorong Fakfak Merauke Jayapura Sarmi Nabire Pegunungan Bintang Mamberamo Raya Manokwari Yahukimo Raja Ampat Mappi Keerom Sorong Selatan Asmat Deiyai 2001-2005 2006-2010

Figure 7. Five-yearly deforestation dynamics in every district in Papua and West Papua provinces from 2001-2019 (in thousand hectares). Integrated with other data, such as infrastructure development programs, distribution of exploitative permits, and remaining natural forest, this figure helps to visualize where future deforestation is likely to occur. Deforestation dynamics in Papua, as illustrated in Figure [7], reveal a shift in the epicenter of deforestation in Papua over the last 20 years. Every district has experienced increased deforestation over the second decade of this timeframe. The greatest increase occurred in Merauke district, which jumped 1,355%, from 8,455 hectares in the first decade to 114,594 hectares in the second. The next was Deiyai district, which leapt 1,013%, from 1,065 to 11,855 hectares.

From 2001-2010, Boven Digoel, Teluk Bintuni, Kaimana, Mimika and Sorong were the most dominant districts in terms of deforestation, whereas from 2011-2019, Merauke, Boven Digoel, Keerom, Nabire and Fak-Fak districts were most dominant. This phenomenon shows that districts such as Maybrat, Tambraw and Mamberamo Raya, which have yet to become epicenters for deforestation, may very well become so in future.

4. DEFORESTATION IN PAPUA: BY PERIOD OF FORESTRY MINISTERIAL OFFICE

In Indonesia, as provided under the Forestry Law, management of the forest estate falls entirely under the authority of the Minister of Forestry. Since Joko Widodo’s presidency, the affairs of the former forestry and environment ministries have been combined under the authority of one minister at the head of the new Ministry of Environment and Forestry. So, how has each minister performed in controlling deforestation in Papua? 12 | PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA | 13

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

2006-2010 2011-2015 2016-2019

Warga desa Autriop Boven Digoel Merauke ditengah lumpur bekas tebangan hutan. Yudi Nofiandi/Auriga Nusantara 14 | PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA | 15

MALEM SAMBAT KABAN

300,000

200,000

298,687

100,000 196,217

102,416

0 2005-2009 2010-2014 2015-2019

Figure 8. Deforestation inPapua and West Papua provinces under different forestry ministers( in hectares).

It was President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) who announced Indonesia’s commitment to reduce emissions by 26-41 percent to the international community; the lower figure if it did so unilaterally using its own resources, and 41% with international assistance. One effort mentioned for achieving this commitment was to reduce deforestation rates. However, as Figure [8] shows, deforestation in Papua during SBY’s presidency actually increased under forestry ministers during his two terms, both when MS Kaban was Minister of Forestry during the first term, and Zulkifli Hasan during the second.

Yet, despite boasts of reduced deforestation nationally and even accepting awards from the international community, in fact the highest levels of deforestation in Papua have occurred under Minister of Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya, who has held office since the first term of Joko Widodo’s presidency. 14 | PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA | 15

5. FOREST ESTATE RELEASE: DEFORESTATION RESERVED FOR PAPUA?

By relying on the estate regime, rather than forest cover, deforestation is not automatically categorized as illegal in Indonesia. Deforestation remains legal as long as a permit is issued, or it is carried out based on official policy. Forest estate lease-use permits for mining operations, for instance, allow for legal deforestation. Deforestation by strategic mining projects is made possible, including through policies on forest estate release for non-forestry purposes.

Seventy-two forest estate release decrees (SK PKH) for a total area of 1,549,205 hectares in Papua were issued by ministers of forestry during 1992 – 2019. The agriculture sector was the main recipient of releases, at 1,461,577 hectares, with oil palm estate development being the main reason with a total area of 1,307,780 hectares, or 84% of all forest estate released in Papua.

HASJRUL DJAMALUDDIN S MUSLIMIN NUR MAHMUDI MUHAMMAD MS KABAN ZULKIFLI SITI HARAHAP NASUTION ISMAIL PRAKOSA HASAN NURBAYA 3 SK PKH 6 2 2 1 6 37 15 887,113

254,455 152,634 92,736 69,279 61,327 28,281 3,380

Figure 9. Forest estate releases for oil palm development under different forestry ministers( in hectares).

Data source (including for Figure 10 and Figure 11): Forest Estate Releases for Agriculture Cultivation and Non-Forestry to 2020. Directorate of Forestry Resources Inventory and Monitoring, Directorate General of Forestry Planning and Environmental Governance, Ministry of Environment and Forestry; downloaded from http://geoportal.menlhk.go.id/arcgis/rest/services/MoEF on 11 December 2020. 16 | PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA | 17

Non-natural 423,800 forest 277,205 hectares When Condition in released 2019

Natural forest 1,292,497 hectares 1,145,901

Figure 10, Area of natural forest cover in forest estate release areas at the time of release for oil palm plantation development and remaining natural forest in those areas in 2019.

Data source: Forest Estate Releases for Agriculture Cultivation and Non-Forestry to 2020. Directorate of Forestry Resources Inventory and Monitoring, Directorate General of Forestry Planning and Environmental Governance, Ministry of Environment and Forestry; downloaded from http://geoportal.menlhk.go.id/arcgis/rest/services/MoEF on 11 December 2020.

Maybrat 30,768 Kaimana Teluk Bintuni 2,702 92,723 Sarmi Merauke Intan Jaya 54,197 100,693 Sorong 3,001 81,800

Waropen Fakfak 202 567 Tambrauw Boven Digoel Jayapura 9,976 Keerom 302,423 hektare 108,379 Deiyai 1,137 8,050 Manokwari 20,083 Sorong Teluk Selatan Mimika Wondama 75,222 105,891 35,071 Mappi Dogiyai 89,210 1,885 Nabire 21,921

Figure 11. Remaining natural forest by district in 2019 in areas of forest estate released for oil palm development in Papua and West Papua provinces. 16 | PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA | 17

In addition to deforestation being allowed, forest cover at the time an area of estate Perkebunan kelapa is released is a determining factor as to whether or not the released area becomes sawit PT Berkat Cipta Abadi di Boven Digoel a source of deforestation. Checks using satellite imagery show that 1,292,497 yang dibangun di area hectares, or 82% of the total area released for oil palm had natural forest cover at pelepasan kawasan the time of release. hutan 2011. Ulet Ifansasti/Greenpeace (2018) Analyses of satellite imagery of these release areas for oil palm plantation development reveal that in 2019, areas released for oil palm experienced 145,595 hectares of deforestation, or almost one third of all deforestation in Papua.

The above data also show that areas of forest estate released for oil palm plantation development still contain 1,145,902 hectares of natural forest cover; almost twice the area of all deforestation that has occurred in Papua over the last twenty years. Bearing in mind company recipients of forest estate releases (as no areas are released to local or customary communities) are procedurally permitted to carry out deforestation and will actually be blamed if they do not develop oil palm plantations in those areas, this phenomenon shows that basically the government is planning deforestation in Papua. n 18 | PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA PLANNED DEFORESTATION: FOREST POLICY IN PAPUA | 18

Koalisi Indonesia Memantau: