Deforestation in Indonesia rises 66 per cent in 2025, report finds

Deforestation in Indonesia rose sharply in 2025, reaching 433,751 hectares, according to new data released by Auriga Nusantara. The figure marks a 66 per cent increase from the 261,575 hectares recorded in 2024.

The findings were published on 31 March 2026 in the organisation’s annual report, Indonesia Deforestation Status 2025 (STADI 2025), which draws on satellite imagery, field verification and spatial analysis to map forest loss across the country.

Auriga Nusantara stated that its monitoring aims to improve transparency and broaden public access to deforestation data, with maps and analysis made available through its Simontini platform, an open land cover and licensing information system.

Nationwide increase across major islands

The report shows that deforestation expanded across all of Indonesia’s major islands in 2025. Kalimantan again recorded the largest area of forest loss, continuing a trend observed since 2013.

The most significant increase in absolute terms occurred in Papua, where deforestation rose by 60,337 hectares compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, Java registered the steepest proportional rise, with forest loss increasing by 440 per cent.

On average, Indonesia lost 36,146 hectares of forest each month in 2025. The peak period occurred between April and October, with the highest monthly figure recorded in May.

Deforestation was reported in all provinces except Jakarta and the Yogyakarta.

Regional patterns and disaster-affected areas

The distribution of deforestation shifted notably in 2025. Central Kalimantan recorded the highest level of forest loss, followed by East Kalimantan and Aceh.

Three provinces in northern Sumatra—Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra—saw sharp increases in deforestation, rising by 426 per cent, 281 per cent and 1,034 per cent respectively.

These areas were also affected by severe flooding and landslides towards the end of 2025. Government data released in February 2026 recorded 1,205 fatalities and 339 people still missing following disasters across Sumatra. The events affected 52 regencies and cities, with around 30,000 homes damaged and extensive impacts on infrastructure and public facilities.

Localised concentrations and land use

Deforestation occurred in 383 regencies and municipalities, representing 74 per cent of Indonesia’s administrative regions, a slight decrease from 428 areas in 2024.

The highest concentrations were recorded in districts across Kalimantan—including Berau, East Kutai and Kapuas—as well as in Sorong and Merauke in Papua. Together, the ten most affected regencies accounted for 95,733 hectares, or 22 per cent of total forest loss.

In terms of land classification, 71 per cent of deforestation—equivalent to 307,861 hectares—took place within forest estates managed by the Ministry of Forestry. The remaining 125,890 hectares occurred in areas designated for other uses, typically under regional or corporate control.

Links to development and resource extraction

Auriga Nusantara reported that deforestation in 2025 was associated with a range of activities, including mining, plantation expansion, industrial forestry and infrastructure development.

Examples documented in the report include forest clearance linked to nickel mining operations in Raja Ampat, oil palm plantation expansion in West Kalimantan, and pulpwood concessions in North Sumatra. Deforestation was also recorded in areas designated for large-scale development projects, including hydroelectric power infrastructure.

The report noted that 78,123 hectares of deforestation—around 18 per cent of the national total—occurred within areas allocated under a government food security programme. The initiative, launched in late 2024 following the inauguration of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, earmarks 20.6 million hectares of forest estate for food, energy and water reserves.

Policy debate and civil society response

The rise in deforestation has intensified scrutiny of environmental governance, particularly in direct response to the catastrophic floods and landslides that struck Sumatra at the end of 2025.

Civil society organisations, including YLBHI, issued their criticism following the disaster, arguing that the scale of destruction exposed long-standing weaknesses in forest governance and licensing practices.

YLBHI highlighted that the government’s announcement to revoke 28 business licences—covering more than one million hectares across Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra—came only after the disasters had already caused widespread loss of life and displacement. The organisation stated that several of the licences cited had in fact been revoked years earlier, raising concerns that the announcement overstated recent enforcement actions.

According to YLBHI, the floods and landslides should be understood in the context of prolonged environmental degradation. The group noted that large-scale land clearing, both legal and illegal, had reduced forest cover and weakened the capacity of landscapes to absorb heavy rainfall, contributing to the severity of the disaster.

The organisation also stressed that thousands of people were killed or displaced, and that many communities—particularly those living near forest areas—continue to face long-term impacts, including loss of livelihoods and exposure to future environmental risks.

YLBHI further questioned the legal process surrounding licence revocations, stating that decisions affecting land use on such a scale should be formalised through official decrees to ensure legal certainty and enable public oversight. It also raised concerns about the future allocation of revoked concessions, warning that land could be reassigned without addressing underlying environmental damage.

Environmental lawyers from the Indonesian Environmental Law Association similarly linked the disaster to structural issues in land governance. They stated that deforestation carried out under government-issued permits has significantly contributed to environmental degradation, alongside illegal logging.

PHLI called for a moratorium on new forest utilisation licences and a comprehensive audit of existing permits, particularly those tied to extractive industries. The organisation also urged the government to consider classifying the Sumatra disaster as a national ecological emergency.

Meanwhile, Greenpeace Indonesia called for greater transparency in the government’s response, including clear disclosure of how licence revocations were determined. The group also raised concerns about degraded watersheds, noting that many now retain less than 25 per cent of their natural forest cover.

In addition, environmental groups questioned a government lawsuit seeking approximately Rp4.657 trillion (around US$300 million) in compensation from six companies. Critics argued that such measures do not address systemic governance issues and highlighted the lack of mechanisms to ensure that any recovered funds would be directed towards disaster recovery and environmental restoration.

Recommendations and ongoing monitoring

Auriga Nusantara has called for a series of policy measures to address deforestation. These include strengthening legal protections for remaining natural forests, improving oversight of spatial planning, expanding conservation areas and ensuring corporate compliance with environmental standards.

The organisation also urged the government to provide incentives for regional authorities, communities and businesses that actively protect forest areas.

As monitoring continues, authorities and environmental groups are assessing the broader implications of rising deforestation levels, particularly in relation to land use policy, disaster risk and long-term forest conservation.