Indonesia’s climate and energy envoy said on October 6 that the country no longer needed to clear forest for new rice fields, pointing instead to improving production on land already in use. Conservation group Mighty Earth welcomed the announcement as a potentially important change for forests and the communities that depend on them.
What happens next is not yet settled. Reporting on the Forestry Ministry’s response says the announcement does not automatically stop projects already underway, and environmental groups are asking for clear implementation. The promising news is the stated change in direction, not a confirmed tally of forest permanently protected.