Today, UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific Region, Seema Malhotra, and Indonesian Presidential Special Envoy for Energy and Environment, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, hosted a high-level discussion forum at Lancaster House, London, to galvanize support for the conservation of Indonesia's biodiversity and unique landscapes, including through the Peusangan Elephant Conservation Initiative (PECI), an Indonesia-led conservation effort in Aceh Province, as well as through the new Iconic Species Investor Working Group to garner support for Indonesia's national parks.

The discussion was attended by President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto, Ministers, business people, philanthropists and representatives from civil society organizations, including the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance (CBA) organization. The discussion was followed by a short reception attended by His Majesty King Charles III, who founded the CBA while still Prince of Wales to accelerate the transition to a nature-based economy.

PECI demonstrates how integrated landscape management, by combining elephant conservation, sustainable agroforestry production, and local economic development, can be a practical blueprint towards an economy that puts nature at the center of development in Indonesia. By protecting the critically endangered Sumatran elephant and the forests it inhabits, this initiative strengthens the harmonious relationship between wildlife, nature, and coexisting communities.

This interconnected relationship provides important benefits to local communities, including increasing climate resilience to disasters such as flash floods. The initiative also reflects Indonesia's leadership on biodiversity and climate action through a transparent model led locally and supported by international partners, which can be expanded to include financial mobilization for multiple national parks across Indonesia.

UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Seema Malhotra, said:
"The UK is proud to work with Indonesia to protect nature, including Sumatran elephants. The PECI project helps safeguard the environment while supporting communities and jobs. Today's event shows that by working together, we can combat climate change while protecting nature."

Indonesian Minister of Forestry, Raja Juli Antoni, said:

"The PECI program in Aceh Province, Indonesia, prioritized the protection of endangered Sumatran elephants. Under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto, the program was expanded to 90,000 hectares by August 2025. With the full support of the UK Government and the collaboration of WWF-Indonesia and PT Tusam Hutani Lestari, conservation efforts have been made to promote harmony between humans and wildlife. PECI will also focus on the development of agroforestry, conservation-based ecotourism, as well as the implementation of the Value of Carbon Economy (NEK) as a national conservation model."

CEO of WWF-Indonesia, Aditya Bayunanda, said:
"Protecting Sumatran elephant habitat in the Peusangan region is critical to safeguarding water sources and carbon stocks in the face of the global climate crisis. This initiative demonstrates how innovative conservation finance can drive local action to conserve Indonesia's biodiverse areas, which cover up to 93 million hectares, and supports Indonesia's vision for a climate-resilient future."

CEO of Circular Bioeconomy Alliance, Marc Palahí, said:
"This collaboration shows what is possible when we go beyond fragmented approaches and adopt integrated solutions at the landscape level. By combining conservation, sustainable production, and local economic development, PECI offers a practical blueprint not only for Aceh but also for landscapes across Indonesia. Through the Living Lab in Aceh and our parallel Living Lab with partners in West Java, we are demonstrating how a nature-based economy can be realized on the ground, protecting biodiversity, strengthening livelihoods, and building long-term resilience for people and nature."

Note to Editor
- The PECI discussion was organized in the context of President Prabowo Subianto's visit to the UK, which also saw the launch of the UK-Indonesia Strategic Partnership by President Prabowo and Prime Minister Keir Starmer on January 20, 2026.
- Photos of the event are available here

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