Prabowo Issues Presidential Decree Banning Forest Burning for Land Clearing

Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto has issued Presidential Instruction (Inpres) No. 11 of 2026, dated September 9, 2026, prohibiting forest burning for land clearing. This measure is understood to be an effort to strengthen countermeasures against the country's persistent and severe forest fire issues. In Indonesia, slash-and-burn practices for agricultural land and plantation development, particularly during the dry season, have repeatedly been identified as a cause of large-scale forest fires. These fires not only cause severe air pollution, leading to health problems and economic losses, but also contribute to biodiversity loss and increased greenhouse gas emissions. This directive from Defense Minister Prabowo, who is also a presidential candidate, is believed to signal the government's strong commitment to addressing these problems. The Presidential Instruction is presumed to call on relevant agencies to strictly enforce existing laws and enhance penalties for illegal forest burning activities. While the Indonesian government has previously implemented forest fire prevention measures, their effectiveness has faced challenges. The extent to which this Inpres 11/2026 can contribute to substantial fire reduction remains to be seen. Source: Sindonews