Squire, C., J. Lou, K. Parker, L. Lohff, M. Schreier, K. Shah, T. Hilde, R. Cui, and N. Hultman. (2026). “Competing Tenure: The Intersection of Forests, Food, and Fuel at Indonesia’s National Strategic Project in Merauke, South Papua.” Center for Global Sustainability, University of Maryland. 32 pp.
In 2023, driven by a long-term trade deficit for both oil and sugar, former President of Indonesia Joko Widodo promulgated legislation establishing the target of achieving 1.2 million kiloliters of bioethanol production and sugar-self sufficiency by 2028. This report assesses the implications of full-scale implementation of these national targets. Findings indicate that while achieving sugar self-sufficiency is possible, ongoing and projected land conversion may have notable climate implications while contributing negligibly to national bioethanol blending goals. Instead, improving fuel efficiency standards, intensifying existing sugar plantations, expanding electric vehicle deployment, and using first-generation biofuels would offer a similar outcome while prioritizing Indonesia’s chief goal of reducing oil demand.