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NatureSeverity: Critical

Deforestation and peatland fires in Kalimantan

Forest conversion and drained peatlands have made Kalimantan a hotspot for biodiversity loss and fire-driven emissions.

Kalimantan / Indonesian Borneo · Indonesia

01 · The problem

What is happening

Kalimantan's lowland rainforests and deep tropical peat swamps store large amounts of carbon and support species such as the critically endangered Bornean orangutan. Conversion to oil palm and pulpwood plantations, mining and logging has cleared large areas. Draining peatlands dries them out, and in dry years, especially El Niño years such as 2015 and 2019, peat fires have burned extensively, producing transboundary haze across Southeast Asia and large carbon emissions. Indonesia has since introduced a moratorium on new permits in primary forest and peatland and established a peatland restoration agency.

Critical severity. Severe, persistent harm to health, ecosystems or livelihoods. Severity is descriptive editorial metadata summarising documented effects. It is not a measured index or a score.

02 · Causes

Why it is happening

  1. 01

    Plantation expansion

    Conversion of forest for oil palm and pulpwood plantations.

  2. 02

    Peatland drainage

    Canals lower the water table, leaving peat dry and flammable.

  3. 03

    Fire used for land clearing

    Fire is used as a cheap way to clear land and can spread uncontrollably into peat.

  4. 04

    Mining and logging

    Coal and mineral mining and timber extraction fragment and degrade forests.

03 · Impacts

Who and what it affects

  1. 01

    Habitat loss for orangutans and other species

    Fragmentation reduces populations of endangered wildlife.

  2. 02

    Transboundary haze

    Smoke from peat fires affects air quality across Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

  3. 03

    Large carbon emissions

    Burning and decomposing peat releases carbon stored over thousands of years.

  4. 04

    Impacts on Indigenous communities

    Dayak and other communities lose access to forests they rely on.

04 · Solutions

Documented approaches

  1. Moratorium on new clearing permits

    A permanent moratorium on new licences in primary forest and peatland.

    Expected effectLimits further legal conversion of the most carbon-rich areas.

  2. Peatland rewetting and restoration

    Canal blocking, revegetation and fire prevention led by Indonesia's restoration agency.

    Expected effectReduces fire risk and emissions when water tables are raised.

  3. Deforestation-free supply chains

    Company and market commitments and certification for palm oil.

    Expected effectReduces demand for products linked to new clearing.

  4. Recognising community land rights

    Social forestry permits and customary forest recognition.

    Expected effectSupports community-led forest protection.

Explore an illustrative What-If

05 · Key indicators

What can be measured

Major fire years
2015 and 2019

El Niño-related drought years with extensive peat fires and regional haze.

Bornean orangutan status
Critically Endangered

IUCN Red List assessment for Pongo pygmaeus.

06 · Sources

Where this comes from

  1. [1]Global Forest WatchWorld Resources Instituteglobalforestwatch.org(opens in a new tab)
  2. [2]IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesInternational Union for Conservation of Natureiucnredlist.org(opens in a new tab)
  3. [3]Center for International Forestry Research and World AgroforestryCIFOR-ICRAFcifor-icraf.org(opens in a new tab)
  4. [4]Ministry of Environment and ForestryRepublic of Indonesiamenlhk.go.id(opens in a new tab)

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