2) UNESCO recognises Indonesia's Raja Ampat archipelago as biosphere reserve
https://www.greenpeace.org/southeastasia/press/67963/the-answer-is-us-indigenous-youth-climate-and-biodiversity-message/
1) The Answer is Us: Indigenous Youth Climate and Biodiversity Message
Sorong, West Papua, Sept. 29, 2025 – Indigenous forest defenders forged a new alliance this past week in the heart of West Papua’s tropical rainforest. The Forest Defender Camp, constructed among the trees by the Sira Village community on Tehit-Knasaimos Indigenous territory, accommodated Indigenous youth from all seven customary regions of West Papua. The camp also drew Indigenous youth representatives from the Congo Basin, the Amazon, and Borneo, who gathered to show unified resistance against the forces driving the climate and biodiversity crises.
Ahead of scheduled international biodiversity and climate talks later this year, the Forest Defender Camp was conceived as a means of strengthening the movement to defend the rights of Indigenous Peoples, and to amplify their voices. Over several days of intensive discussions, the camp’s 89 Indigenous participants agreed upon a call to action for world leaders, captured in the Sira Declaration.
The declaration outlines demands reflecting the common challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples across the Congo Basin, the Amazon, Borneo, and West Papua, including calling for legal protection for Indigenous rights and direct access to climate funding for those who are the most reliable guardians of the world’s critical ecosystems.Nabot Sreklefat of the Knasaimos Indigenous Youth Community believes the presence of representatives from throughout West Papua and from the other major tropical rainforest regions of the world is a source of profound inspiration. “Shamefully, the voices of youth, and especially Indigenous youth, are routinely sidelined in decision-making. My hope is that from this forest defender camp our voices will carry to the national and international stage,” he said while opening the camp.
Nathalia Kycendekarun Apurinã, an Amazonian Indigenous leader and forum participant, delivered a powerful message: the world’s equatorial rainforests and the people who protect them are the very foundation of life on Earth, safeguarding biodiversity and providing air, water, and climate stability. She stressed that Indigenous youth share a commitment to protect their ancestral lands, honour their heritage, and secure a future for their descendants.
“The climate crisis requires everyone – governments, businesses, and international organisations to join us. The solution exists, and it is rooted in our traditional knowledge and our connection to nature. The time for action is now. For this planet to survive, the tropical forests of the Congo Basin, the Amazon, Borneo, and West Papua must remain intact. Leaders say they’re searching for an answer, but the answer has always been here. The answer is us,” said Nathalia, who is a spokesperson for The Coordination of Indigenous Organisations of the Brazilian Amazon (COIAB).
Kiki Taufik, Global Head of Greenpeace’s Indonesia forests campaign, hopes the Sira Declaration will carry Indigenous Peoples’ demands to the 30th climate conference in Belem, Brazil, this November. “The twin climate and biodiversity crises pose an existential global threat to the future of the younger generation. The voices that reach the ears of world leaders must be those of the true protectors of our forests. Indigenous youth are the key to Earth’s future,” Kiki said.
Notes:
Read the full Sira Declaration.
Photos and videos are available for use.
Media Contacts:
Igor O’Neill, Greenpeace Indonesia, ioneill@greenpeace.org +61-414-288-424
Amos Sumbung, Greenpeace Indonesia, +62811486327
2) UNESCO recognises Indonesia's Raja Ampat archipelago as biosphere reserve
This recognition marks another milestone following the UNESCO Global Geopark title that Raja Ampat received in 2023, making it one of the few places in the world to simultaneously hold two international titles from UNESCO.
Jakarta (VNA) – Raja Ampat, a famous archipelago in Indonesia's West Papua province, has been recognised as a biosphere reserve. Among the 30 new UNESCO-designated biosphere reserves, Raja Ampat is considered the most biodiverse marine ecosystem on Earth.
This recognition marks another milestone following the UNESCO Global Geopark title that Raja Ampat received in 2023, making it one of the few places in the world to simultaneously hold two international titles from UNESCO.
The reserve covers about 135,000 sq.km with more than 610 islands, of which only 34 are inhabited. Located in the heart of the Coral Triangle, the area boasts the world’s richest coral reef ecosystem, with over 75% of the world’s coral species, more than 1,320 species of reef fish, and five rare and endangered sea turtle species, including the Hawksbill turtle. About 60% of the reefs are in good to excellent condition.
With two international designations, Raja Ampat is recognised not only for its unique geological heritage but also for its outstanding biodiversity. It is a place where conservation, science, indigenous knowledge, and sustainable development intersect, benefiting both local communities and the planet.
According to UNESCO, biosphere reserves act as “living laboratories” where communities, scientists, and governments collaborate on three pillars: conserving biodiversity and landscapes; promoting sustainable socio-economic development; and enhancing understanding through research, education, training, and knowledge sharing.
Today, the world has more than 700 Biosphere Reserves in over 130 countries, covering more than 5% of the land area, serving as models of balance between conservation and sustainable use for the approximately 275 million people living in them./.
Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan stated here on Monday that development of the PSN is already underway.
His side is waiting for the signing of a contract between state-owned food company PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara and the implementing agency for paddy field development.
“The government continues to strengthen governance in food self-sufficiency zones by ensuring every step is carried out properly,” he said after chairing a limited coordination meeting on accelerating the development of food, energy, and water self-sufficiency zones.
Hasan emphasized that environmental protection remains a top priority, including spatial planning, rights to cultivate (HGU), and administrative compliance, to ensure the sustainability of the program.
“We are preparing everything based on principles of empowerment, local wisdom, and sustainability,” he added.
He said the Wanam PSN will serve as a pillar of national self-reliance through food and energy self-sufficiency programs.
The Wanam PSN zone will produce rice as the main food commodity, alongside the development of ethanol and B50 biodiesel industries, he informed.
Ethanol will be sourced from sugarcane and cassava, while B50 is a blend of diesel fuel and palm oil.
He also mentioned plans to develop a propellant factory in the area, which would produce gas-generating chemicals used in firearms and rockets.
“This initiative will pave the way toward food, energy, and water independence. It is a major work that requires ongoing coordination between ministries and regional governments,” Hasan said.
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Editor: Arie Novarina
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