Draft Mangrove Management Plan of the Ministry of LH Regulates Authority Allocation

The Ministry of Environment and Forestry is currently preparing a National Plan for the Protection and Management of Mangrove Ecosystems (Rencana Perlindungan dan Pengelolaan Ekosistem Mangrove - “RPPEM”) as an effort to address policy fragmentation between the Land Spatial Planning regime (Rencana Tata Ruang Wilayah - “RTRW”) and the Coastal Zone and Small Islands Zoning Plan (Rencana Zonasi Wilayah Pesisir dan Pulau-Pulau Kecil - “RZWP3K”). In practice, these two regimes have often applied different rules to the same spatial areas, resulting in inconsistencies in licensing mechanisms.

“There are still areas that are the same but are regulated under different provisions, resulting in different licensing regimes. It is hoped that through this RPPEM, this issue can be resolved,” said the Deputy for Environmental Governance and Sustainable Natural Resources, Sigit Reliantoro.

He further explained that in its formulation, the RPPEM adopts a Mangrove Landscape Unit (Kesatuan Lanskap Mangrove - “KLM”) approach as the basis for spatial analysis. This approach is carried out through a data overlay method to integrate various cross-sectoral interests while minimizing overlaps in authority between the central and regional governments.

This policy integration is expected to reduce investment risks that may potentially harm the environment, as well as prevent uncontrolled conversion of mangrove land. The government considers the elimination of this dual regulatory framework to be a corrective measure aimed at strengthening the governance of Indonesia’s coastal areas.