Forest fires in Indonesia continue to pose as an alarming governmental, environmental, and societal concern. This study examines the context of land ownership transformation mainly before and after forest fires in palm oil plantation activities. The data were gathered through in-depth interviews, observation, and Geographical Information System (GIS) mapping. The majority of land transformations occurred from community property ownership to ownership by local elites, while the transformation from company to community and local elites was also found. Due to the injustice of land distribution, local communities occupy open access lands of companies’ concessions. The deliberate use of fire is a common method among smallholder to clear land for oil palm and for sold for profit as planted land. Local elites benefit from these land transformations; however, smallholders are at an economic disadvantage. We argue that forest devolution and a clear definition of community land boundaries are critical in dealing with this issue.

Indonesia has sustained annual forest fires since the 1990s related to land clearing activities for agriculture. The Indonesian Government has made substantial efforts to resolve annual fires by improving intergovernmental coordination at national and local levels. Overall, 96 government agencies are liable for controlling forest fire. This study explores local to central government’s bureaucratic reluctance in addressing forest fires, focusing on Riau Province, the most forest fire-prone region in Indonesia. Data were collected from 2015 to 2019 using participatory observation, engaging in meetings of key players; in-depth interviews with key heads of relevant agencies, officials, and NGOs; and a questionnaire for Social Network Analysis. The results show that there are seven influential institutions for addressing land and forest fires in Riau. However, the power of the decision-making process is concentrated at the level of the President and the Governor as the regional leader, which implies that large institutions involved in fire response have less power and responsibility owing in part to bureaucratic inertia as bureaucracy is overly centralised and less responsive. In the long term, devolution of government authority from the central to the local level is required to furnish front-line institutions with the power to deal with the fires.

After being a neutral actor for decades in the complex South China Sea (SCS) territorial disputes, Indonesia has seen itself compelled by China’s assertiveness to become firmer about protecting its territorial sovereignty around the Natuna Islands (NI). Jakarta is alarmed by China’s claims that it has undeniable historical fishing rights in the NI territorial waters because they undermine Indonesia’s territorial sovereignty. Our analysis loosely adopts the securitization conceptual framework proposed by the Copenhagen School to reveal that Jakarta swiftly securitized the NI issue between 2014 and 2016. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, this paper unpacks how the Indonesian printed mainstream media discussed the NI in recent years. By the end of 2016, the Indonesian media portrayed China’s claims that it has historical fishing rights in the NI territorial waters as the most urgent national security threat to Indonesia, i.e. the NI issue was securitized. This analysis shows that the Indonesian people accepted Jakarta’s security discourse, i.e. Jakarta had successfully securitized China’s claims over the NI territorial waters. This paper makes a new contribution to the securitization literature by simultaneously analysing the Indonesian news and social media outlets.

This study analyses forestry governance by assessing the situation of local and central governments’ land-use activities. Governance networks and regulations on intergovernmental functions support to shape patterns of coordination. Collaborative governance is often cited as a way to develop a plan for the sustainable management of forest land use. However, an empirical approach to collaborative governance is still lacking. This research investigates which factors of collaborative governance practices correspond to forest land use. Hence, understanding their roles is essential to managing networks for forest management activities. The findings of the study demonstrated that collaborative governance has changed away from information sharing and toward forestry governance and policy network. Furthermore, forest land use also emphasizes guidelines for preventing the spread of land-clearing fires, which is an important aspect of fire prevention in general. The fires from 2010 to 2018 affected agricultural lands, plantations, forests, and swamps. The clearing of peatland for oil palm and timber plantations appears to be the main source of smoke-haze and is indicated as the primary driver of land clearing motives in Riau Province, Indonesia. Nvivo-12 was used as a tool to codify each interview result. Observations were coded for discussion, and the work refined the findings from the analysis. The data were then transferred to Gephi to allow networking analysis. The network was combined using the Gephi software. NVivo was also used to explore forest land-use activities by combining network analysis to assess the pattern of collaboration.

This study explores the dynamics of urban green spaces in five major Indonesian cities—Central Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, and Semarang—using Sentinel-2 satellite imagery and vegetation indices, such as NDVI and EVI. As major urban areas expand and become more densely populated, development activities have significantly altered urban green spaces, necessitating comprehensive mapping through remote sensing technologies. The findings reveal significant variability in green space coverage among the cities over three periods (2019–2020, 2021–2022, 2023–2024), ensuring that the findings are comprehensive and up to date. This study demonstrates the utility of remote sensing for detailed urban analysis, emphasizing its effectiveness in identifying, quantifying, and monitoring changes in green spaces. Integrating advanced techniques, such as NDVI and EVI, offers a nuanced understanding of urban vegetation dynamics and their implications for sustainable urban planning. Utilizing Sentinel-2 data within the Google Earth Engine (GEE) framework represents a contemporary and innovative approach to urban studies, particularly in rapidly urbanizing environments. The novelty of this research lies in its method of preserving and enhancing green infrastructure while supporting the development of effective strategies for sustainable urban growth.

This study is an analysis of the main criteria and indicators utilised in strengthening local institutions in charge of forest management towards dealing with forest fire incidents in Riau Province, Indonesia. Data were collected using in-depth interviews and observation. Out of the 120 questionnaires distributed to stakeholders, 81 responses were received and analysed using Microsoft Excel and with structural equation modelling (SEM) techniques using SPSS and SmartPLS. Four dimensions, including organization, capacity, authority, and governance, were respectively measured using ten indicators. The results showed a significant correlation between local institutions and these dimension variables in highlighting forest management issues. The results suggest a need to strengthen local institutions’ institutional arrangements and their capacities in order to ensure the effective management of natural resources, which may be achievable through the support and co-operation of government institutions and communities.