inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Vice Minister of Forestry Rohmat Marzuki stated that Indonesia's biodiversity is the foundation of food security, climate regulation, and even a lifeline for the community.
"As a mega-biodiversity country, Indonesia contains more than 17 percent of the world's biodiversity. This wealth is the foundation of food security, a source of medicines, climate regulation, and a lifeline for hundreds of millions of Indonesians," Rohmat said in a statement in Jakarta on Wednesday (7/22/2026).
However, he noted that Indonesia's biodiversity still faces various pressures, including land use change, climate change, overexploitation, and the introduction of invasive alien species.
"We can no longer simply be concerned. We must act in a measured, science-based, and long-term manner. Biodiversity is not just a list of species in a scientific book, but the lifeblood of Indonesian society from Sabang to Merauke," Rohmat said.
Therefore, Rohmat stated that the Biodiversity Status Document for Papua, Bali-Nusa Tenggara, Java, and Maluku by the Ministry of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency (PPN/Bappenas) is a crucial aspect in biodiversity data collection.
He explained that the presence of these four documents will support the implementation of the Indonesian Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (IBSAP) 2025–2045.
The document presents scientific information on the condition of species and ecosystems in four of Indonesia's main biogeographic regions.
One indicator that requires attention is the Red List Index (RLI), an indicator of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 15.5.1 that describes the aggregate risk of species extinction.
Indonesia's RLI has decreased from 0.77 in 2018 to 0.75 in 2024. Through the Ministry of Forestry's Strategic Plan 2025–2029, the government targets an RLI increase to 0.76 by 2029.
"This document serves as a compass for identifying species in need of immediate rescue, areas requiring strengthened management, and recovery programs that should be prioritized. Reversing the trend of biodiversity loss requires precise interventions, and precision can only be achieved with the support of accurate and up-to-date data," said Rohmat.
Cross-sector collaboration is also considered key to addressing the biodiversity crisis systematically and sustainably.
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