Introduction

Indonesia’s marine ecosystems are severely threatened by climate change. This phenomenon, which is the result of the rise of global emissions (IPCC 2019), is detrimental to Indonesia's coastal and marine areas and the livelihoods and food security of coastal inhabitants. Several areas in Indonesia have been experiencing changes in weather pattern and seasonality, changes in wind direction and intensity, increases in landslide and flood frequency, and increases in saltwater intrusion (Savo et al. 2016). Ocean warming caused by climate change is also expected to result in a 20% decrease in marine fisheries production in Indonesia by 2055 (Cheung et al. 2010). In short, the damage caused by climate change affects Indonesia’s coastal population both directly and indirectly.

As Indonesia is an archipelagic country, a significant proportion of its population relies on the fisheries sector. The 2019 national labor force survey estimated that over 1.8 million households worked in the fisheries sector, with most of these households residing in the province of Papua. This number is even higher if we include other coastal activities outside the fisheries sector, such as coastal tourism, industries, as well as local retail SMEs (small and medium-size enterprises). The deterioration of the coastal environment caused by climate change may therefore affect the sustainability of coastal lives.

The concept of marine protected areas (MPA) was introduced as clearly defined geographical spaces that are managed in such as way as to ensure the long-term conservation of nature while promoting associated ecosystem services and cultural values. MPAs have the potential to reduce the impact of climate change by improving marine ecosystems in designated areas. Their creation may also have greater long-term advantages both environmentally and economically. This paper aims to explore the potential benefits of MPAs in reducing inequality and fostering environmental sustainability in Indonesia. It is based on various information related to the implementation of MPAs and assesses their impact in the country. Additionally, we identify various challenges and opportunities that the Government of Indonesia (GoI) should take into account to improve the implementation of MPAs in the future.