akar.earthPeatland Protection and Restoration Rules in Indonesia
Indonesia's peatland regulation explained: PP 71/2014 and PP 57/2016, the 0.4 m water table rule, BRGM, and what peat rules mean for carbon projects.
Indonesia protects peatland mainly through Government Regulation PP 71/2014 on the protection and management of peat ecosystems, as amended by PP 57/2016 after the 2015 fires. The rules split peat into protection and cultivation functions, set a well-known 0.4 metre groundwater level compliance point, and require damaged peat to be restored, which is why peat rewetting and avoided drainage are among Indonesia’s most valuable carbon project types.
What the rules are
PP 71/2014 created a national framework for peat ecosystems. It treats peat as a hydrological unit (kesatuan hidrologis gambut, KHG) rather than parcel by parcel. Each unit is mapped and divided into a protection function and a cultivation function.
PP 57/2016 amended it after the severe 2015 fire season. It tightened the definition of peat damage and is widely cited for the rule that the groundwater level in cultivated peat should stay no deeper than 0.4 metres below the surface. It also strengthened restoration obligations for licence holders whose peat is damaged.
Ministerial regulations add technical rules on mapping, water monitoring and restoration plans. We do not list their numbers here because several were issued under the former Ministry of Environment and Forestry and may have been replaced. Check the current texts on JDIH.
Institutions. The Peatland Restoration Agency (BRG) was set up in 2016. In 2020 it became BRGM, adding mangroves to its mandate. Its current status and the split of tasks between the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Forestry and other bodies after the October 2024 ministry split should be checked before you rely on older guidance.
Who it applies to
- Concession and plantation holders on peat, including oil palm and pulpwood, must manage water levels, prevent fire and restore damaged areas.
- Government agencies map peat units, set functions and supervise restoration.
- Communities and smallholders on peat are affected through fire bans, canal blocking and restoration programmes.
- Carbon developers working on peat need to understand which function their area falls under and what obligations already apply.
The permanent moratorium adds a separate layer: no new licences in mapped peatland.
What the rules require
At a high level, the peat rules require:
- mapping peat hydrological units and their functions;
- keeping the water table high in cultivated peat, with the 0.4 metre compliance point;
- not draining or clearing peat in the protection function;
- fire prevention and response;
- restoration of damaged peat by rewetting (canal blocking), revegetation and revitalising livelihoods.
The detailed duties, reporting formats and sanctions sit in the regulations and ministerial rules. Read the official texts for anything you plan to rely on in a contract.
What it means for developers and buyers
Peat is high-value carbon. Drained peat emits CO2 for decades as it oxidises, and it burns. Rewetting and protection avoid large emissions per hectare. BeZero has rated 11 ex-post Indonesian projects, and all three Indonesian REDD+ projects in its portfolio involve peatland conservation. An Indonesian peatlands project saw credit prices nearly double after a one-band rating upgrade in February 2025. Quality and evidence pay.
Additionality needs care. If a licence holder is already legally required to restore its peat, a carbon project that only meets that duty may not be additional. Developers must show what the project does beyond legal compliance, or that the law is not enforced in practice, in a way that a validator accepts. See additionality.
Methodology fit. Peat projects in Indonesia have used Verra’s REDD+ and wetland approaches. See our guide on peatland REDD+ and the VM0007 page. Monitoring water tables, subsidence and fire is central, alongside remote sensing.
Social forestry on peat. Some peat restoration is now run through social forestry, which Permenhut 6/2026 explicitly supports.
For buyers, key checks are: the peat function and any licence obligations on the site, fire history, water-table monitoring data, and how permanence risk is handled through the buffer pool.
Open questions
- Institutional set-up. Responsibilities for peat after the 2024 ministry split, and the status of BRGM, should be confirmed.
- Overlap with legal duties. How regulators and validators treat restoration that is already legally required remains contested.
- National accounting. Peat emissions are a large part of the FOLU Net Sink 2030 target. Export authorisation for peat credits may be more tightly controlled than for other forest units.
- Map updates. Peat maps and function designations change. Always use the current official map for your site.
Our feasibility and eligibility review checks peat function, licence status and methodology fit. For the wider legal map, see the Indonesia regulation hub.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main peatland regulation in Indonesia?
Government Regulation PP 71/2014 on the protection and management of peat ecosystems, as amended by PP 57/2016. Ministerial regulations add technical rules on mapping, water levels and restoration.
What is the 0.4 metre rule?
PP 57/2016 is widely cited for setting a groundwater level of 0.4 metres below the peat surface as a compliance point in peat used for cultivation. Deeper drainage is treated as a sign of damage. Check the text for how it is measured.
Can a peat restoration project generate carbon credits in Indonesia?
Yes. Peat rewetting and avoided peat drainage are recognised carbon activities, for example under Verra VCS. Indonesian projects must also follow the forestry carbon procedure and record units in the national registry.
Are new licences allowed on peat?
New licences in primary natural forest and peatland are stopped under the permanent moratorium made by Inpres 5/2019, as mapped in the indicative PIPPIB map.