Jakarta. Andrew Steer, the chief executive officer of the world’s largest environment-focused philanthropic commitment Bezos Earth Fund, wished President-Elect Prabowo Subianto good luck on his climate action while promising to back the incoming government.

Indonesia is inching closer to Prabowo’s inauguration on Oct. 20. He will replace President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo who has had the government top job for the past decade. Indonesia’s deforestation rate hit a historic low in 2021-2022, standing at 104,000 hectares, the government reported. As the inauguration nears, Bezos Earth Fund wants Prabowo’s government to keep the deforestation rate in check.

“... How exciting as a new government takes over, and builds upon the great success. Think about Indonesia’s deforestation rate having fallen so much, which actually has benefited the country in terms of its international image and the economy,” Steer told the Indonesia International Sustainability Forum in Jakarta on Friday.

“As we move to a new era of Indonesia, I simply want to commit to this country that I love so much all the support we can possibly give,” Steer said.

Earlier this year, the Bezos Earth Fund inked a memorandum of understanding with Indonesia’s Environment Ministry. The deal involves a cooperation to help Indonesia cut its emissions as promised in its nationally determined contribution pledge, among others. The partnership also revolves around Indonesia’s FOLU Net Sink target. Indonesia is aiming to have its greenhouse gas absorption to be balanced or higher than emissions in the forest and other land use (FOLU) sector by 2030.

The Bezos Earth Fund is the philanthropic organization set up by the business magnate Jeff Bezos. The group has pledged to disburse $10 billion in grants by 2030 to help the world fight climate change. 

The government has allocated trillions of rupiahs in the state budget for environmental protection in 2025 -- Prabowo's first year in office. The government’s environmental protection spending is capped at Rp 11.3 trillion ($735 million) next year. 

According to Prabowo’s campaign manifesto, the former military general vowed to remain committed to Indonesia’s net-zero emission goals should he become the president. To this end, Prabowo --and his running mate Gibran Rakabuming Raka--vowed to lower carbon and water footprints. The pair also promised to prevent deforestation by making use of degraded land.

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