In recent months, Pantau Gambut has brought its research findings and analytical perspectives to two major international conferences: the 16th International Conference of Integrated Disaster Risk Management (IDRiM 2026) in Bali and Power to the Peatlands 2026 in ’s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands.
At Power to the Peatlands 2026 which is held from 2-4 September 2026, Juma Maulana presented a spatial mapping approach based on Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA). Juma highlighted that more than 6 million hectares of Indonesia’s peatland ecosystems are now highly vulnerable to flooding as a result of long-term degradation. Pantau Gambut’s participation in the conference marked an important opportunity to call for comprehensive hydrological restoration while underscoring the need to protect remaining peatland landscapes from industrial expansion and large-scale development projects.
This data-driven advocacy effort continued with Ryan Kusumo’s participation in IDRiM 2026, held from 5-9 September 2026. Ryan presented a study on the “Peatland Hydrological Paradox,” examining a frequently overlooked dimension of disaster risk: how the drainage and conversion of peatlands not only increase the threat of forest and land fires, but also drastically heighten vulnerability to flooding. As peatlands lose their natural capacity to absorb and store water, areas that once served as ecological buffers can instead become zones increasingly vulnerable to hydrometeorological disasters.
Pantau Gambut’s participation in these two international conferences underscores how grassroots monitoring efforts and in-depth scientific analysis can work hand in hand. Through science and evidence-based advocacy, Pantau Gambut continues to push for more equitable ecosystem protection policies to safeguard both the environment and the civil society groups whose livelihoods depend on the preservation of these wetlands.
You can access both presentations through the links below:
