Indonesia's Environment Minister Moh Jumhur Hidayat announced a national mangrove restoration program across 162 locations in 37 provinces, aiming to drive green economic growth through international carbon trading. Speaking at World Mangrove Day in Bali, he stated mangroves absorb four to five times more carbon than typical land vegetation, making one hectare of mangroves equivalent to four hectares of terrestrial plants for carbon offsetting. The government plans to fund large-scale rehabilitation through carbon market mechanisms, with several major investors already expressing interest. The initiative is expected to create green jobs, provide wages for local communities, and offer benefit-sharing from carbon trading revenues. The minister is assessing the contribution of these market-based restoration efforts to national economic growth over the next one to two years.
