TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs has issued Regulation No. 4/2017 to accelerate mangrove forest restoration.

“The rule regulates the determination of activities or action plans for ministries and agencies,” said Montty Girianna, deputy for energy, natural resources, and environmental management at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs.

The regulation has been issued to mitigate widespread degradation of Indonesia’s mangrove ecosystem. The Environment and Forestry Ministry said that 1.67 million hectares of mangrove forests have been destroyed and 1.82 million hectares are in good condition.

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Montty added that the rule also regulates strategies and programs and activities on four key values of mangrove ecosystem: ecology, economy, institution, and laws. “Ministries and Agencies have two months since the promulgation of the ministerial regulation and report their activities on a six-monthly basis,” he said.

Following the issuance of the fresh rule, Montty expects the total area of mangrove ecosystem to increase to 3.49 million hectares by 2045. “The criteria of a good mangrove include cover density of above 70 percent to prevent sea water intrusion, protection from abrasion, tsunamis, marine biota breeding and absorption of carbon five times better than ordinary trees,” he said.

Moreover, Montty said that the budget to restore mangrove areas will not only be sourced from local governments but also the Japan government. “The efforts are not yet focused. They are done separately so that the restoration efforts could not arrest the pace of degradation,” he said.

JULNIS FIRMANSYAH