Current Issues Of TRopical Peatland In Indonesia

Abstract

Indonesia has peatland occupying over 20 million hectares, about 10% of its total land areas, spreading in Sumatera, Kalimantan, and Papua islands. Quite vast expanses of the peatlands have been reclaimed by government for rice cultivaticm in transmigration projects and by private companies for forest and oil palm plantations. This paper discusses topics of carbon stock and emissioiz in conjunction to wise utilization of peatlands in Indonesia. Discussed topics include figtures of estimate of carbon stock and emission and the approaches as well, to seek for the truth if Indonesia is really in third position of carbon emitter countries, by reviewing some related publications being widely referred. Following the discussion, reviews on peatland utilizations have been made in Indonesia are described to Rankly show any successful and unsuccessful of the utilizations. All the discussions and reviews are always based on apure scientijic thinking, hindering any noise of certain interest.