Indonesia-UK Partnership Advances Elephant Conservation and Forest Finance

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia and the United Kingdom are deepening their collaboration on biodiversity and sustainable forest management, with a spotlight on the Peusangan Elephant Conservation Initiative (PECI). The program, centered in Aceh, is emerging as a flagship effort to safeguard the critically endangered Sumatran elephant while pioneering new models of conservation finance.

On Thursday, February 26, 2026, Indonesian Minister of Forestry, Raja Juli Antoni, welcomed UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Seema Malhotra, at Manggala Wanabakti in Jakarta. The meeting followed up on the high-level forum Advancing Sustainable Nature Finance in Aceh and Beyond, held earlier this year at Lancaster House in London.

It also marked another step in strengthening the strategic partnership between the two nations in forestry, biodiversity conservation, and innovative landscape-based financing. A central focus of the talks was PECI, which has been incorporated into the bilateral Memorandum of Understanding through an amendment emphasizing Sumatran elephant conservation.

The initiative aims to secure the species’ long-term survival by protecting habitats, promoting sustainable landscape management, and reducing human–wildlife conflict in Peusangan, Aceh. The project’s initial scope covers 20,000 hectares, with potential expansion to 80,000 hectares to establish an integrated ecological corridor.

Currently in its preparatory phase, PECI is building institutional structures, technical plans, and coordination mechanisms among government agencies, development partners, private sector actors, and local communities. Both Minister Antoni and the UK Ambassador to Indonesia have conducted field visits to the project site, underscoring the strong commitment of both countries to priority species conservation and sustainable forest landscapes.

Minister Raja Juli emphasized that PECI is more than a conservation project; it is a model for integrated landscape-based financing.

“We position PECI as a landscape-based conservation financing model that integrates biodiversity protection, sustainable forest management, and community welfare. Today’s meeting focused on ensuring that implementation is structured, measurable, and supported by long-term financing,” he said.

The Indonesian government views Sumatran elephant conservation as part of its national strategy to strengthen conservation governance, advance the Forestry and Other Land Use (FOLU) Net Sink 2030 target, and bolster Indonesia’s credibility in global forest and climate leadership.

Beyond PECI, the partnership also covers initiatives such as the Partnership for Sustainable Landscapes (Kemitraan untuk Bentang Alam Berkelanjutan/KIBAR), the development of a National Park Financing Task Force, and opportunities to mobilize innovative nature-based financing -- including blended finance, carbon credits, and high-integrity biodiversity credits.

These efforts fall under the broader framework of the FOLU Net Sink 2030 MoU signed in October 2022, which supports forest governance, the Legal and Sustainability Verification System (SVLK), priority species conservation, and sustainable financing mechanisms.

The UK has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Indonesia’s conservation financing and priority species protection through technical assistance and investment in landscape-based initiatives like PECI. The Jakarta meeting highlighted the shared resolve of both nations to advance concrete collaboration in conservation, sustainable forest management, and credible nature finance, ensuring the resilience of Indonesia’s forest ecosystems while delivering social and economic benefits to local communities. ***