Deforestation in Indonesia: Consequences and Efforts for Sustainable Forest Management

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Deforestation is the reduction or significant loss of forests. Deforestation has been an important issue globally and nationally in recent decades. According to data from Global Forest Watch, Indonesia has lost around 9,75 million hectares of forest during the 2002–2020 period. This condition is certainly alarming, especially since Indonesia is one of the countries with the highest deforestation rate in the world.

Here are three negative impacts of deforestation on both the environment and society:

1. Environmental destruction. Deforestation has caused the habitat loss of specific species and reduced biodiversity.
2. Climate change. Forests, which function as natural carbon sinks, are losing that ability as their area decreases. Deforestation leads to carbon being emitted into the atmosphere. As a result, this leads to accelerated climate change.
3. Health and social issues. The ability of forests to supply clean water is reduced, and the risk of floods and landslides increases. In addition, deforestation also has the potential to provoke social conflicts with traditional communities, whose lives could be at risk due to the loss of forests.

Due to the danger of these impacts, the government has been working on policies to tackle deforestation in Indonesia. As a community, we can participate in efforts to reduce deforestation. One of them is through campaigns to use eco-friendly items or products. Also, we can collaborate with environmental organizations to replant, especially in the forest zone. This can be a small step to minimize further damage to forests.

Writer: Anisa Putri Maulidya