REDD+ and forest fires: Implications for the legal and policy forest fire management framework in Indonesia

Forest fires are responsible for forest degradation and are one of the most direct causes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The REDD+ initiative is considered to be a partial solution in reducing forest fires by incentivising behaviour which prevents further deforestation and degradation. In Indonesia, this mechanism may provide a significant driver for law reform and policy change to reduce forest fires. This article examines the legal and policy frameworks in Indonesia to implement and integrate REDD+ into forest fire reduction strategies. It examines the international framework of REDD+, the moratorium on forest and peatland concessions and presents a case study of the first REDD+ pilot project in Central Kalimantan. The article evaluates these initiatives and their outcomes. It then considers a number of recent strategies which Indonesia has adopted to strengthen forest and peatland protection.