Blue carbon is becoming increasingly important for Indonesia as the world’s largest archipelagic country. Indonesia has a strong relationship with the ocean, which not only supports the livelihoods of coastal communities but also plays a critical role in maintaining the balance of the global ecosystem. In the context of climate change, marine and coastal ecosystems must therefore become an integral part of Indonesia’s national climate strategy.
The ocean can contribute to both climate change mitigation and adaptation. Coastal ecosystems can store significant amounts of carbon, protect communities from coastal hazards, maintain biodiversity, and support sustainable economic activities. For Indonesia, integrating the ocean and blue carbon into climate policies represents an important opportunity to strengthen national climate action.
Blue Carbon and the Role of the Ocean in Climate Policy
Since 1994, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has emphasized the importance of the ocean within the global climate change discussion. The role of the ocean has continued to gain attention through international climate forums, including COP21 in Paris, COP25 in Chile, and COP26 in Glasgow.
These international discussions have helped strengthen global understanding of the relationship between the ocean and climate change. Initiatives such as the Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue have encouraged countries to explore practical actions that can increase the contribution of marine and coastal ecosystems to climate mitigation and adaptation.
Indonesia responded to global climate initiatives by adopting Law No. 6 of 1994, which ratified the UNFCCC. The law became an important foundation for Indonesia’s participation in international climate cooperation and strengthened recognition of environmental protection within national development.
Indonesia’s 2016 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) further emphasized the importance of marine ecosystems and sustainable planning for the use of marine resources. This marked an important step toward connecting ocean management, climate policy, and sustainable development.
Development of Blue Carbon in Indonesia’s NDC
Indonesia’s commitment to ocean-based climate action continued to develop through the proposed Climate Ocean Nexus initiative at COP25 in Chile in 2019. In 2020, Indonesia also submitted information related to marine issues and climate change at the international level.
By 2021, marine issues had become more explicitly included within the adaptation component that was later reflected in Indonesia’s Enhanced NDC. This development demonstrated the growing recognition that marine ecosystems can contribute significantly to national climate resilience.
The momentum was further strengthened through the G20 Partnership on Ocean-based Actions for Climate. One of the initiatives associated with this development is SEAFOAM, or Science and Exploration for Ocean-based Actions for Mitigation.
SEAFOAM serves as a research and policy platform that explores ocean-based mitigation options that could potentially support Indonesia’s NDC. Scientific research is particularly important because effective blue carbon policies require reliable information on ecosystem conditions, carbon storage capacity, emissions, and long-term environmental change.
One of the important developments has been the inclusion of mangroves within Indonesia’s NDC framework as part of the AFOLU sector, or Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use. Mangrove ecosystems are widely recognized as an important form of blue carbon ecosystem because of their ability to capture and store carbon in vegetation and coastal sediments.
Blue Carbon: Potential and Implementation in Indonesia
Blue carbon refers to carbon captured, stored, and released by coastal and marine ecosystems. These ecosystems include mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, and salt marshes. They can store substantial amounts of carbon within plants, roots, soil, and marine sediments.
Indonesia has extensive coastal ecosystems that provide significant potential for blue carbon development. Data from Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries in 2022 indicated that the country’s mangrove ecosystem covered approximately 3.36 million hectares.
Meanwhile, research information from the Oceanography Research Center of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) reported that approximately 293,464 hectares of Indonesian seagrass meadows had been verified by 2023.
These ecosystems provide important environmental services beyond carbon storage. Mangroves and seagrass can support fisheries, protect coastlines, provide habitats for marine species, reduce coastal erosion, and strengthen the resilience of coastal communities.
The potential contribution of blue carbon is therefore important for supporting Indonesia’s climate commitments and efforts to achieve its emission reduction targets. Indonesia’s climate target has included an emission reduction ambition of up to 43.20% with international support by 2030.
Major Challenges for Blue Carbon Development
Although Indonesia has enormous blue carbon potential, several challenges must still be addressed. Coastal and marine ecosystems such as mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, and salt marshes are vulnerable to degradation caused by land-use conversion, pollution, unsustainable coastal development, and destructive fishing practices.
When these ecosystems are damaged, their ability to capture and store carbon may decline. In some situations, carbon that has been stored for long periods in coastal soils and sediments can also be released back into the environment.
Another major challenge is the availability of reliable data. Indonesia still needs more comprehensive information regarding ecosystem area, density, carbon stocks, sediment characteristics, and changes over time.
Reliable data is essential for planning, monitoring, reporting, and verifying blue carbon projects. Without consistent information, estimating the real contribution of these ecosystems to national climate targets becomes more difficult.
Limited technical capacity and funding can also restrict research, restoration, conservation, monitoring, and long-term management. Strengthening scientific capacity and developing standardized methodologies will therefore be essential for future implementation.
Blue Carbon Opportunities for Coastal Communities
Despite these challenges, Indonesia has significant opportunities to expand blue carbon initiatives. One of the most important strategies is increasing awareness and participation among coastal communities.
Local communities often interact directly with mangrove forests, seagrass ecosystems, fisheries, and other coastal resources. Their involvement is therefore essential in conservation, restoration, monitoring, and sustainable resource management.
Community-based programs can also create economic opportunities while protecting the environment. Sustainable fisheries, ecotourism, mangrove restoration, environmental monitoring, and coastal rehabilitation can contribute to both local livelihoods and climate resilience.
Innovative Financing for Blue Carbon Projects
Developing sustainable financing mechanisms is another major opportunity. Blue carbon initiatives require long-term funding because ecosystem restoration and monitoring cannot rely only on short-term projects.
Innovative financing mechanisms, including appropriately designed carbon offset programs and blue bonds, may help provide additional resources for coastal conservation and restoration.
However, these financing mechanisms should be supported by transparent monitoring, accurate carbon accounting, strong environmental safeguards, and measurable benefits for local communities.
International cooperation can also provide important support. Indonesia can collaborate with research institutions, governments, universities, environmental organizations, and international development partners to exchange knowledge, develop technology, strengthen technical capacity, and improve access to climate finance.
Blue Carbon in Indonesia’s NDC
Integrating blue carbon into Indonesia’s NDC represents a strategic opportunity to support emission reduction targets while strengthening climate adaptation. Indonesia’s extensive marine territory and coastal ecosystems are valuable environmental assets that should be managed carefully and sustainably.
Mangroves, seagrass meadows, and other coastal ecosystems demonstrate that climate mitigation does not always depend solely on technological solutions. Protecting natural ecosystems can simultaneously store carbon, protect biodiversity, strengthen coastal resilience, and support local economies.
Effective implementation will nevertheless require collaboration between national and regional governments, scientists, businesses, coastal communities, and environmental organizations.
The Future of Blue Carbon in Indonesia
The future of blue carbon in Indonesia will depend on how effectively the country can transform its natural potential into measurable climate action. Strengthening scientific research, improving ecosystem mapping, increasing community participation, and developing reliable monitoring systems will be essential.
At the same time, Indonesia needs to continue protecting coastal ecosystems from degradation and ensuring that restoration programs provide long-term environmental and social benefits.
With strong policies, reliable data, sustainable financing, and international cooperation, blue carbon can become an increasingly important component of Indonesia’s climate strategy. It can help the country address climate change while protecting marine biodiversity, supporting coastal communities, and promoting sustainable economic development.
For more information about global climate action and scientific climate assessments, visit the official websites of the UNFCCC and the IPCC.