In brief
Indonesia announced on November 10 that it would revoke or restrict the land cultivation rights of 11 palm‑oil plantation firms linked to recurrent fires in Kalimantan. Three firms will lose all rights, while others face partial revocations or new‑right denials. The move follows police recommendations and aims to curb illicit land use, prevent future fires, and reduce carbon emissions from forest loss. In parallel, companies like Cargill are restoring buffer zones to mitigate fire risks.
On November 10, Jakarta announced that Indonesia will revoke or restrict land‑cultivation rights for eleven palm‑oil plantation firms that have repeatedly caused forest and land fires in Kalimantan. The decision follows a criminal investigation by the national police and is intended to curb illicit land use and prevent future fires that devastate large portions of the region and emit significant amounts of carbon.
Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Nusron Wahid said that three of the firms will face complete revocation of their cultivation rights after repeated fires affected more than half of their concession areas. The other eight companies will see varying measures: some will have their rights partially revoked, others will be denied the permission to acquire new cultivation lands and still others are scheduled for a further review of their qualifications.
The cases span the provinces of South, West and East Kalimantan, where slash‑and‑burn practices have been tied to the expansion of palm‑oil plantations. In addition to the loss of cultivation rights, the implicated firms have been found lacking adequate fire‑prevention facilities and in violation of land‑use conditions set by the government. The fires have not only destroyed forest cover but also contributed to the rise in atmospheric greenhouse gases that fuel global climate change.
Indonesia’s action is part of a broader national effort to enforce sustainable land‑use practices. The minister emphasized that the revocation policy follows the recommendations of the police’s criminal‑investigation department, which has been tracking the repeated violations of fire‑related regulations by the companies. By removing the cultivation privileges of firms that routinely ignore fire‑prevention provisions, the government hopes to deter future infractions and protect the resilience of Kalimantan’s peatlands and ecoregions.
Environmental solutions are already underway. Cargill, a major palm‑oil producer, reported that its riparian rehabilitation program has restored 320 hectares of buffer‑zone areas in the HCV regions of West Kalimantan since 2023. The company highlighted that the buffer zones not only provide a physical barrier to reduce fire spread but also enhance biodiversity and local community resilience. This initiative represents a critical step toward mitigating the climate impacts of land clearing, though the company must continue to work with Indonesian authorities to meet the stricter licensing requirements now in place.
Indonesia’s revocation moves and the concurrent rehabilitation efforts underscore a growing recognition that sustainable palm‑oil production must balance economic development with ecological stewardship. By tightening land‑use controls and promoting restoration projects, the country signals a shift toward lower‑emission agricultural practices that align with global climate goals.
