RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia is positioning itself to play a larger role in global environmental diplomacy by exploring a bid to host the 18th Conference of the Parties (COP 18) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 2028.

The initiative, led by the Ministry of Environment, has already gained support from domestic and international stakeholders.

Environment Minister Jumhur Hidayat said that Indonesia’s vast biodiversity provides a strong foundation for developing conservation-based financing mechanisms.

“As one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity in the world, Indonesia has the potential to advance funding models that safeguard ecosystems while delivering economic benefits,” he said in Jakarta on Friday, June 26, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

The proposal was discussed during Minister Jumhur’s meeting with Co-Chair of the International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits (IAPB), Dame Amelia Fawcett, in London on Thursday, held on the sidelines of the London Climate Week.

The talks focused on advancing biodiversity credits as a new financing instrument to support ecosystem conservation in Indonesia. Minister Jumhur stressed that biodiversity preservation must go hand in hand with economic development, making sustainable green financing mechanisms essential.

Dame Amelia Fawcett welcomed Indonesia’s initiative, noting its potential to become a leader in conservation finance. She praised the establishment of a Task Force on Biodiversity Credits by the Ministry of Environment, tasked with preparing policy studies, implementation schemes, and pilot projects.

According to her, this tactical move signals Indonesia’s role as a pioneer in biodiversity credit development in Asia, strengthening international collaboration under a “nature positive” approach.

To bolster its international standing, Indonesia and the IAPB also agreed to deepen knowledge partnerships and enhance dialogue ahead of the COP 17 CBD in Yerevan, Armenia, October 2026.

“Indonesia’s initiative as a pioneer of biodiversity credits in Asia and globally sends an important message of collaboration among nations and stakeholders to strengthen biodiversity conservation with a nature-positive spirit," Dame Amelia Fawcett remarked.

This bid underscores Indonesia’s ambition to align biodiversity preservation with sustainable economic growth, while positioning itself as a key voice in shaping global conservation finance. ***