RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia's Vice Minister of Forestry, Rohmat Marzuki, attended the launch of the Biodiversity Status Document for Papua, Bali, Nusa Tenggara, Java, and Maluku at the Ministry of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency in Jakarta. In a press statement received on July 21, 2026, the Vice Minister of Forestry emphasized that Indonesia, as a mega-biodiversity country, harbors more than 17 percent of the world's biological resources. This wealth is the foundation of food security, a source of medicines, climate regulators, and supports the lives of hundreds of millions of Indonesians.

However, Indonesia's biodiversity still faces various pressures, including land-use change, climate change, overexploitation, and the introduction of invasive alien species. "Biodiversity is not just a list of species in a scientific book, but the lifeblood of Indonesian society from Sabang to Merauke," the Vice Minister of Forestry said.

The Vice Minister of Forestry 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 deserves attention is the Red List Index (RLI), an indicator of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15.5.1 that describes the risk of species extinction in aggregate. Indonesia's Red List Index (RLI) has decreased from 0.77 in 2018 to 0.75 in 2024.

Through the Ministry of Forestry's 2025–2029 Strategic Plan, the government targets an increase in the RLI to 0.76 by 2029. "Reversing the trend of biodiversity loss requires precise intervention, and precision can only be achieved with the support of accurate and up-to-date data," Rohmat said.

He expressed his appreciation to the Ministry, researchers, academics, local governments, indigenous peoples and local communities, civil society organizations, development partners, and all parties involved in the preparation of this document. Cross-sector collaboration is considered key to addressing the biodiversity crisis systematically and sustainably.

He also explained that accurate, structured, and easily accessible data is the foundation for evidence-based policies and transparent public accountability. "Through working together, we realize the vision of living in harmony with nature to maintain the sustainability of all forms of life in Indonesia, improve community welfare, and ensure the richness of biodiversity remains available for future generations," Rohmat conveyed.