Indonesia designates 17 locations for blue carbon reserves
Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is preparing 17 locations to be designated as specific national strategic areas (KSNT) for blue carbon reserves.
Jakarta (VNA)🐼 – Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is preparing 17 locations to be designated as specific national strategic areas (KSNT) for blue carbon reserves.
KKP's Director General of Marine Spatial Planning Kartika Listriana said the designation of the locations reflects the national commitment to managing blue carbon ecosystems, protecting the environment, and improving the welfare of coastal communities.
Several locations, particularly on the northern coasts of Central Java and East Java, will be prioritised for ecosystem restoration, she added.
Blue carbon refers to carbon absorbed and stored by coastal and marine ecosystems, such as mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, and tidal marshes.
These ecosystems have the ability to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, even more so than terrestrial forests. At least 55% of global carbon is absorbed by marine organisms and stored long-term, both in biomass and sediment.
According to Listriana, the blue carbon plan will be linked to key coastal city agglomerations like the Greater Jakarta area, including Jakarta and four satellite cities: Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi; the key urban and industrial area of East Java – Gerbangkertosusila; and the dynamic urban area in Central Java, Kedungsepur, which comprises six cities. In addition, KKP also encourages the development of carbon-free islands in Bangka Belitung.
Seagrass is considered a potential “carbon asset” that can store up to 82,000 tonnes of CO2 per sq.km, opening up opportunities to participate in the global carbon market through voluntary mechanisms or public-private partnerships. However, she noted that regulations are still needed to establish a standard methodology for measuring carbon in seagrass to facilitate implementation in the field./.
The 10 initiatives include restoring the ecosystems and the availability of food-producing land, intensification and assistance for farmers, developing community-based food systems, increasing local food diversification, and increasing animal protein consumption, among others.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is driving forward the Land Bridge mega-project, valued at nearly 1 trillion THB (31.5 billion USD), to stimulate the economy and attract long-term investment.
A discussion on Vietnamese cuisine, culture and tourism was held in Tel Aviv on September 14, aiming to deepen the understanding of Vietnamese culture and promote people-to-people exchanges between Vietnam and Israel, especially as the two countries expand cooperation across multiple fields.
Confirmed initiatives include the revival of the popular "Half-Half" co-payment scheme. Other proposals under discussion - though not yet finalised - include the "We Travel Together" tourism stimulus programme, decentralisation efforts and disaster mitigation strategies.
Fidel’s words to the gathered soldiers: “For Vietnam, Cuba is willing to shed its own blood!” captured the very essence of the friendship forged between the two nations, a relationship nurtured through resilience, dignity, and internationalist spirit.
The satellite Nusantara 5 (N5), launched by Indonesia, is expected to strengthen connectivity in Indonesia's eastern region, supporting distance learning, digital health care, and providing access to information and entertainment for remote communities.
The ASEAN task force is not identical to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) but is intended to serve as a platform for collective discussions and joint actions when ASEAN countries face shared threats.
The 19th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC) on September 11 agreed to present three ASEAN Leaders’ Declarations at the 47th ASEAN Summit in this October.
With clashes arising from time to time worldwide, Asia should continue to keep dialogue channels open, exercise restraint when conflicts emerge, and strengthen regional mechanisms that can help manage differences.
In addition to rice, Indonesia is resolute in prohibiting imports of corn and table sugar in 2025, and is determined to optimise domestic production through pro-farmer policies in pursuit of food self-sufficiency.
Thailand, now ranked first in the world for weather modification, continues to expand its royal rainmaking programme to combat drought and support agriculture nationwide.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is tapping into India’s high-spending wedding market through The Celebration with Care Wedding Planners Fam Trip & Trade Meet.
Indonesian Ambassador to the US Dwisuryo Indroyono Soesilo has revealed that the Southeast Asian country’s delegation is proposing palm oil exports as part of efforts to further reduce the US's current 19% reciprocal tariffs.
Heavy seasonal rains, which usually occur from September through March, regularly cause flooding and landslides in Indonesia. This year’s extreme events again highlight how vulnerable many communities are to natural disasters
The 19th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC) on September 10 endorsed the ASEAN Plan of Action on Combating Transnational Crime for 2026–2035, providing a framework to address transnational crime challenges over the next decade.
Funding will come from the 25-billion-THB central stimulus fund for 2026, with flexibility to reallocate resources if needed, according to the Thai Ministry of Finance.
The guidelines outline 15 core ethical principles, covering respect for autonomy, human dignity and rights, social responsibility, bio-sovereignty, sustainability, and the protection of future generations.
General Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, underlined the common challenges facing ASEAN, stressing that member states can only overcome them through cooperation based on strategic trust, sincerity, and collective action.
