One Word May Save Indonesia’s Forests

Sept. 20 (Bloomberg) -- Indonesia’s forest and peatlandfires have flared up again this season, sending smoke and hazefrom the island of Sumatra north across the Malacca Strait toMalaysia. The fires are now an annual consequence of themismanagement of Indonesia’s forests. With the removal of asingle word from the country’s constitution, however, that maychange for the better.

On May 16, Indonesia’s Constitutional Court deleted theword “state” from this clause: “Customary forests are stateforests located in the areas of custom-based communities.” Thatone adjustment denied the government ownership of forests on thelands of the nation’s indigenous people. By returning theforests to their traditional stewards, the court’s ruling couldcome close to turning off Indonesia’s greenhouse-gas spigot. Yetmore work is needed.