Denpasar. WWF-Indonesia is strengthening its collaboration with the Indonesian government and the palm oil industry to promote sustainable practices, Conservation Director Dewi Lestari Yani Rizki, said on the sidelines of the 7th International Conference on Oil Palm and Environment (ICOPE) in Bali on Wednesday.

As part of its efforts, WWF-Indonesia has developed Hamurni, an application that helps smallholders register for the Cultivation Registration Certificate (STDB), which records plantations under 25 hectares. The platform enhances traceability and ensures palm oil sourcing aligns with sustainability standards.

"Improving farmers' literacy on sustainability principles is crucial to making the industry more responsible," Dewi said.

WWF-Indonesia collaborates with major companies, including Sinar Mas Group, to ensure that palm oil businesses comply with sustainability standards such as the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) and the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).

"Palm oil is a key economic driver in Indonesia. Our role is to ensure that companies implement sustainable principles," she said.

One key initiative is the conservation of High Conservation Value (HCV) areas within plantations. Under RSPO guidelines, growers must allocate at least 30 percent of their land for conservation to protect biodiversity, including endangered species like orangutans.

"Conflicts between palm oil plantations and wildlife persist, but proper conservation strategies can help them coexist," she said.

Over the past decade, WWF-Indonesia has supported 3,000 smallholders in adopting sustainable practices, with 1,300 of them earning RSPO certification.

Uncertainty Over Paris Agreement Commitment

When asked about reports that Indonesia and the US may withdraw from the Paris Agreement, Dewi declined to comment on speculation, emphasizing that no concrete action has been taken.

"The Paris Agreement is crucial for global climate commitments. The US has threatened to leave before—we'll have to wait and see how it unfolds," she said.

On Jan. 28, the United Nations confirmed that the US had officially submitted its withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement. The agreement, adopted in 2015 by 195 members of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, aims to limit the global average temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Indonesia's Presidential Envoy on Climate and Energy, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, criticized the Paris Climate Agreement, describing it as unfair to Indonesia.