Indonesia boasts a rich natural resource stretching from Sumatra to Papua. This archipelagic nation boasts a diverse range of ecosystems, from tropical rainforests, coastal and marine areas, to coral reefs, which serve as habitats for millions of biodiversity species and provide livelihoods for millions of people. Indigenous communities, farmers, fishermen, women, and the younger generation play a vital role in preserving the ecosystems within their respective regions. Through sound practices in managing their territories, they have proven capable of maintaining ecosystem sustainability without damaging them through earth-friendly activities. They continue to care for the environment in which they live, as it is also where their livelihoods derive.
However, the world is currently facing an urgent crisis due to climate change. This crisis is triggered by human activities that have been massively damaging the earth since the 18th century, especially since the industrial revolution, when the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas increased rapidly. This activity has resulted in the accumulation of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. As a result, the earth's temperature continues to rise, the climate becomes unpredictable, and natural disasters become more frequent, creating a devastating chain effect that threatens the balance of nature and all life within it.
On land, planting and harvest seasons are no longer predictable. Prolonged drought, temperature changes, and erratic rainfall patterns accelerate the life cycles of plant pests and diseases, expanding their distribution areas, and weakening plant resilience. This condition is also increasingly difficult to control because pests and diseases are increasingly resistant to various control efforts. This situation is exacerbated by the rampant activities of the extractive industry. Forests that serve as carbon storage pockets are being completely cleared, opened for large-scale plantations and mining.
Meanwhile, high waves and tropical storms are increasingly common in marine, coastal, and small island areas, while sea levels continue to rise, leading to seawater intrusion into the mainland. Several sources note that approximately 200 islands in Indonesia have already disappeared due to rising sea levels triggered by climate change, human activity, and natural disasters. More than 2.000 other islands are estimated to be at risk of sinking in the coming decades due to global warming, as announced by the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries in 2025.
Traditional fishermen's fishing grounds are also increasingly remote as ocean warming shifts the movement and reproduction patterns of fish and other marine life. This same ocean warming, coupled with pressure from destructive human activities, is also accelerating the destruction of coastal habitats and ecosystems such as coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangrove forests. The loss of these ecosystems also means the loss of natural barriers that protect coastal areas from abrasion and tidal flooding.
Community Practices in Harmony with Nature as a Solution
Indigenous communities, farmers, fishers, women, and young people are among the groups most impacted by the climate crisis, both on land and in marine and coastal areas. In many areas, they have lost access to food, water, and land—the lifeblood that sustains communities. Crop failures, declining catches, and ecosystem damage have made them increasingly vulnerable economically, socially, and ecologically.
In fact, they are the best protectors of nature. Their practices, knowledge, and traditions have been proven to protect the earth for generations, demonstrating that humans can manage nature without destroying it, and even make it more sustainable. Their daily rituals and practices are living proof that managing nature in harmony with the ecosystem is a way of life.
Indigenous communities play a central role in safeguarding their customary territories, including forests rich in flora and fauna. In Kapuas Hulu, West Kalimantan, the Dayak Iban Menua Engkrejai perform rituals at the ancient site of Kaki Keling, believed to be an ancestral home, while protecting the surrounding rivers and forests through customary law. In Gowa, South Sulawesi, the Suka Indigenous Community has revived the tradition of planting trees in customary forests to mark important life stages, from birth to marriage, while ensuring the sustainability of resources for future generations.
Likewise, farmers, whose activities are inextricably linked to the land, remain steadfast in their practice of farming in harmony with nature, utilizing knowledge and a variety of methods they have implemented and refined over decades to maintain productivity and ecosystem balance. For example, the Independent Farmers Union (SEKTI) in Jember, East Java, produces organic fertilizer from cow and goat manure for their melon farm, improving soil fertility and yields without harming the environment.
Furthermore, farmers, whose daily activities depend on nature, are the ones most impacted by the climate crisis. They lack security or legal access to the land they manage. This situation makes them even more vulnerable to agrarian conflicts and makes it difficult to plan sustainable food production. As experienced by Majalengka Farmers Union (SPM) They seek to strengthen the community's position by identifying and mapping Priority Agrarian Reform Locations (LPRA). This mapping provides a community-based climate solution, helping ensure that land is managed equitably, protected from external claims, and utilized for sustainable community economic development.
Fishermen and coastal communities face diverse challenges, including threats of eviction, mining, and ecosystem degradation. Communities on Pari Island, Jakarta, for example, face the threat of eviction by large-scale tourism companies and the risk of abrasion and tidal flooding. The Pari Island Care Forum (FPPP) is leading efforts to protect mangrove forests and coral reefs through mangrove planting, coral reef rehabilitation, and economic enterprises managed by local women's groups.
Meanwhile in Belinyu, Bangka Belitung Islands, a group of young people from KOMPALA (Nature Lovers Community) Belinyu brought the educational space to life. Ecology Academy to foster critical awareness in protecting coastal ecosystems. They also activate routine patrols to monitor mining activities that damage the ecosystems of coastal areas and small islands in the waters north of Bangka.
These stories of conservation by Indigenous Peoples, farmers, fishers, women, and young people demonstrate that solutions to the climate crisis are already within reach. However, for these proven practices and knowledge to survive and thrive, they need direct access to resources that enable them to make decisions about their own territories and ecosystems.
Direct Funding: The Answer for Climate Justice
From forests to oceans, from highlands to coasts, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, including farmers, fishers, women, and young people, stand as the first line of defense for life. They protect tropical forests, oceans, and natural resources from the clutches of the climate crisis. However, they can only continue to protect their territories and knowledge if they have the rights and resources to manage them.
By the end of 2024, the total global climate fund commitment allocated to Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities reached USD 1,86 billion for the five-year period (2021–2025), as stated in FTFG Annual Report 2024–2025. However, of that amount, only about 7,6% actually reaches communities on the ground—down from 10,6% the previous year. Behind these figures lies a harsh reality: those who contribute most to preserving the earth receive the least support to continue that vital role.
The problem lies not only in the amount of funding, but also in how it is distributed and managed. Many global climate finance mechanisms remain trapped in outdated bureaucratic and technocratic logic, positioning communities as recipients of aid, forced to adapt to donor systems. Complex bureaucracy, lengthy administrative requirements, and rigid technical indicators often pose major obstacles. Yet, the strength of communities lies not in their ability to write proposals or reports, but in their wisdom in maintaining ecosystem balance—knowledge that has been passed down for centuries across generations.
To address this challenge, new funding initiatives are emerging around the world. Their terminology varies, but they share two fundamental principles: first, these funds are born from community organizations fighting for rights and recognition of their territories; second, their governance is rooted in the movements themselves. This approach emphasizes trust and reciprocity, replacing the hierarchical paradigm between grantors and grantees. In this way, they help decolonize global philanthropic practices toward a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable direction.
In Indonesia, Dana Nusantara is part of this wave of change. It emerged from three major popular movements: AMAN, WALHIand KPADana Nusantara addresses the challenges of cumbersome bureaucracy and donor mechanisms that often alienate communities. Through a trust-based approach and a flexible yet accountable administrative system, Dana Nusantara returns control to those who best understand the needs and dynamics of their region.
Through direct funding schemes, Indigenous Peoples, Farmers, Fishermen, Women, and Youth can now determine how funds are used to strengthen their sovereignty and social and ecological resilience. They design, implement, and evaluate their own initiatives—building a true sense of ownership and responsibility. Evidence across the region shows that when communities are trusted, outcomes are not only more effective but also more equitable and sustainable.
At COP30 in Belém, Brazil, the world faced a crucial question: who truly controls the Earth's future? Will we continue to uphold the outdated system that positions Earth's stewards as recipients of aid?
Climate justice is a fundamental ethical and social issue, addressing why those who contribute the least to greenhouse gas emissions are the ones with the most limited access to resources and bear the heaviest burden. Climate justice demands the recognition of rights, the equitable distribution of resources, and the empowerment of the most vulnerable communities to exercise voice and control, enabling them to protect the lives and ecosystems that underpin human sustainability. The global climate finance system must be reformed, as this is not about handing out "handouts" but about returning rights, sovereignty, and control to those most impacted.
Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities cannot face this alone. As the global campaign underscores, The Answer Is UsThe answer to the climate crisis will not come from one party alone. It must come from all of us, from communities that protect forests and oceans, from governments, from people's movements fighting for rights and recognition, to philanthropic institutions, civil society organizations, and individuals who choose to stand up for climate justice. Only by standing together and upholding the principles of climate justice will the Earth remain a home for all life.