Jakarta, 4 November 2025, Tanimbar Islands: Empowering Communities and Restoring Forests for a Net Zero Future

Off the coast of Maluku, the Tanimbar Islands stand as one of Indonesia’s most remote yet ecologically rich regions, home to endemic species and deeply rooted indigenous traditions. For generations, local communities have depended on the land for sustenance. Today, they are taking a bold step forward, transforming their connection with nature into a model for sustainable growth and climate action.

From Subsistence to Stewardship

In collaboration with 23 social forestry licenses, this initiative supports the management of more than 45,800 hectares of forest land, including 19,000 hectares of degraded areas designated for native forest restoration and agroforestry.

Through this program, over 7,700 households across 22 villages will gain sustainable livelihoods while ensuring that the forests, once under threat of degradation, are kept intact and healthy for generations to come.

Rather than seeing forest management as a trade-off between livelihood and conservation, the people of Tanimbar are showing that both can coexist. The project pioneers a landscape model where community forestry becomes an active force for achieving Net Zero Emissions, restoring nature while securing economic resilience.

Science-Based Restoration, Rooted in Local Wisdom

The Tanimbar project combines two globally recognized methodologies under Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard (VCS):

• VM0047 (Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation / ARR) – to reforest long-degraded land with native species and agroforestry crops.

• VM0048 (Avoided Unplanned Deforestation / AUDef) – to protect existing forested areas at risk of illegal clearing and ensure carbon stocks remain stable.

By implementing these dual approaches, the project is expected to generate between 6.2 to 9.2 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e) over its lifetime, a meaningful contribution to global Carbon Offset efforts.
Beyond its carbon value, this restoration work brings back fertile soil, clean water, and biodiversity to a region long shaped by subsistence farming and limited economic opportunities.

Protecting Biodiversity, Preserving Identity

Tanimbar’s landscapes harbor unique wildlife found nowhere else on Earth. From the Tanimbar Megapode to the Black-bearded Flying Fox, and endemic tree species like Torem (Manilkara kanosiensis),  these ecosystems are a living archive of Maluku’s natural heritage.

Through science-driven forest restoration and protection, the project helps safeguard these species while restoring the ecological balance that local communities rely on.

Strengthening Livelihoods, Nurturing Resilience

In many of Tanimbar’s villages, over 85% of households depend on smallholder agriculture, growing coconut, cassava, and vegetables to meet daily needs. Income levels are often below the regional minimum wage, creating a strong reliance on natural resources.

By integrating agroforestry, the project enables these communities to cultivate a more sustainable income stream, blending tree planting, food production, and carbon financing. This not only improves food security but also empowers families to become stewards of their environment.

Financing the Future of Carbon Projects

To scale these efforts, the project opens new pathways for Carbon Trading through high-integrity Carbon Credits. Each credit represents verified climate action, a measurable step toward Carbon Neutral economies.

With Verra’s methodologies guiding the framework, investors and buyers can trust that every tonne of CO₂ reduced or removed from this project contributes to transparent, lasting impact.

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A Collective Path to Zero Emission

The Tanimbar Islands project demonstrates that climate action doesn’t always start from the top, it begins with people who depend on nature the most. By supporting local communities to protect and restore their land, this initiative is paving the way toward Zero Emission and resilient livelihoods.

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