Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia and the United Kingdom have strengthened cooperation on sustainable nature financing, with Aceh designated as a pilot model, Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said on Thursday.
In a statement, Nurofiq said the partnership with the UK serves as a strategic platform to enhance Indonesia's capacity in biodiversity protection and the development of sustainable nature financing mechanisms.
"Nature protection is not an obstacle to development, but the foundation of economic resilience and the nation's long-term prosperity," he said.
Nurofiq made the remarks at an international forum titled "Building a Nature First Economy in Indonesia: Advancing Sustainable Nature Finance in Aceh and Beyond," recently held in the United Kingdom.
He said the government encourages the transformation of parts of forest concession areas into conservation landscapes to ensure development remains within environmental carrying capacity.
"The strengthening of conservation areas within production landscapes reflects the state's commitment to balancing development with ecosystem and wildlife protection," he said.
At the forum, the Peusangan Elephant Conservation Initiative (PECI) in Aceh was presented as an example of a living landscape approach that integrates Sumatran elephant habitat protection, regenerative agroforestry, and community-based economic empowerment.
Aceh is viewed as a pilot model that can be replicated in other regions across Indonesia with high biodiversity value, he added.
As the country with the world's second-largest biodiversity, Indonesia considers biodiversity a strategic national asset and a key foundation for long-term economic resilience.
Nurofiq said the government has prepared the Indonesia Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2025–2045 to mainstream nature protection and mobilize sustainable financing.
Through partnerships, including with the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Indonesia aims to strengthen biodiversity finance mechanisms, develop conservation-related credits, and combat environmental crime.
