Jakarta, ThedailyID — Presidential Special Envoy for Climate and Energy Hashim Djojohadikusumo has denied any link between Indonesia’s 2026 forest and land fires and the government’s B50 biodiesel program.
“No, no, no. Absolutely not,” Hashim told the local media on Thursday, October 22, when asked whether the wildfires were connected to the government’s energy sovereignty agenda.
The clarification follows public attention over his remarks at the Investor Daily Summit on October 7, where he cited around 12.7 million hectares of degraded forest land in Indonesia as a potential source of biofuel feedstock.
Hashim said the figure came from the Ministry of Forestry in 2024 and referred to land damaged by fires in previous years, not areas affected by the 2026 wildfires.
“That was 2024 data I received from the Ministry of Forestry when I attended COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, as a special envoy. I said Indonesia had 12.7 million hectares of land damaged by fires in previous years,” he said.
According to Hashim, the government owns the degraded land, which has largely become scrubland without trees. The government is considering planting crops such as sugarcane, cassava, and oil palm to support its energy programs.
However, he said only up to 2 million hectares would be used for planting. The remaining land would undergo reforestation.
“I heard that a maximum of 2 million hectares would be used. As for the remaining area out of the 12.7 million hectares, I heard it would be reforested,” Hashim said.
The government is still determining which areas are suitable for cultivation. Hashim said officials would use satellite imagery, drones, and other technologies to map the land and identify appropriate planting locations.
Hashim also denied that he remains involved in the palm oil business. He said he left the industry in 2018 and has since focused on other sectors, including oil and gas and mining.
