Ocean and Climate Change Nexus
Problems
Indonesia’s vast blue carbon ecosystems—mangroves and seagrass meadows—hold immense potential for climate mitigation and adaptation. They serve as powerful carbon sinks while providing critical ecosystem services, protecting coastal communities, and supporting livelihoods. Yet, these ecosystems are under increasing threat from degradation, limited monitoring, weak enforcement, and fragmented governance. Despite supportive policies, practical implementation on the ground remains inconsistent.
These upstream challenges directly impact downstream efforts, particularly in the context of carbon pricing mechanisms such as carbon trading, performance-based payments, and carbon taxes. As blue carbon becomes increasingly integrated into carbon markets, governance weaknesses at the ecosystem level raise significant concerns about the integrity, transparency, and equity of resulting carbon finance.
Without robust environmental, social, and legal safeguards, carbon pricing systems are vulnerable to misuse, corruption, and rights violations—including climate washing and misallocation of benefits. These risks can undermine public trust, climate outcomes, and the rights of communities who depend on and help conserve these ecosystems.
This nexus calls for a holistic approach: securing blue carbon ecosystems upstream through strong legal frameworks, tenure rights, and inclusive governance, while ensuring downstream carbon finance mechanisms are accountable, equitable, and legally sound. Only by linking these two fronts can Indonesia realize the full climate and community benefits of its blue carbon assets.
Our Approach
To ensure that Indonesia’s blue carbon ecosystems contribute meaningfully to climate goals while protecting the rights of ocean-dependent communities, IOJI champions a holistic and integrated approach to governance and climate finance integrity.
We work across three key pillars:
- Policy and Legal Reform
IOJI conducts research and provides strategic input to strengthen governance of blue carbon ecosystems and embed robust environmental, social, and legal safeguards into Indonesia’s carbon pricing framework. We engage with ministries, regulatory bodies, and multi-stakeholder platforms to shape policies—from mangrove management regulations to marine carbon valuation strategies.
- Safeguards and Enforcement
To prevent exploitation and ensure accountability, IOJI enhances the capacity of law enforcement and public officials to detect and respond to environmental and carbon-related crimes. We collaborate with national agencies and global partners like INTERPOL to support legal compliance, transparency, and anti-corruption measures.
- Community Empowerment and Public Oversight
IOJI centers the voices and rights of coastal communities in conservation and climate finance efforts. We provide legal support and advocacy for community protections and promote public awareness about the risks of carbon market misuse. Our outreach ensures that both climate action and ecosystem protection are grounded in justice and public trust.
Through this integrated strategy, IOJI aims to advance high-integrity, inclusive, and effective governance of Indonesia’s ocean-based climate solutions.
