The Forestry Interim Secretariat of the International Tropical Peatlands Centre (ITPC) and the Greifswald Mire Centre (GMC) formalized a Joint Declaration to enhance the protection and management of tropical peatland ecosystems on the sidelines of the 30th UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP30). The partnership is expected to reinforce the contribution of peatland landscapes to global climate goals, including Indonesia’s Forestry and Other Land Use (FOLU) Net Sink 2030 target.
The declaration was signed on 21 November 2025 at the Indonesia Pavilion, COP30, by Greifswald Mire Centre Director Franziska Tanneberger and ITPC Forestry Interim Secretariat Deputy Chair Bambang Supriyanto. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Haruni Krisnawati, Senior Climate Change Advisor at Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry, who underscored the strategic value of peatland ecosystems in the nation’s climate agenda.
“With an estimated 24 million hectares of peatland—74 percent located within state forest areas—Indonesia’s tropical peat forests store approximately 89 gigatons of carbon, equivalent to nearly 20 years of global fossil-fuel emissions. Effective restoration and sustainable management can reduce emissions by 1.3–2.6 GtCO₂e annually,” she said.
In her remarks, Franziska Tanneberger highlighted the importance of science-based collaboration. “This Joint Declaration reflects our shared commitment to equip policymakers, practitioners, and local communities with credible information, robust analysis, and practical tools to support peatland conservation and sustainable management,” she stated.
Bambang Supriyanto emphasized that the Forestry Interim Secretariat ITPC will continue to serve as a hub for international cooperation on tropical peatland management across Southeast Asia, the Congo Basin, and the Amazon. He noted that the strengthened partnership with GMC will advance joint work in mapping, monitoring, research development, knowledge exchange, and capacity building through training, webinars, and conferences.
He added that ITPC is prepared to expand its partnerships with friendly governments, research institutions, the private sector, universities, and international organizations as part of an intensified agenda for collaborative action in 2026 and beyond.
The declaration also acknowledges the contributions of global partners—including UNEP, FAO, CIFOR, and national research institutions—and reaffirms the importance of peatland ecosystems across multiple international conventions and initiatives, such as the UNCBD, UNCCD, UNFCCC, Ramsar Convention, Paris Agreement, Brazzaville Declaration, Global Peatlands Initiative, and Peatland Breakthrough.
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