Bali Steps Up Green Tourism, Focuses on Clean Energy and Coastal Ecosystems

BALI, Indonesia — Bali is stepping up efforts to develop a greener economy and protect its natural environment, with renewable energy, coastal ecosystems, organic farming and forests among the areas targeted by the provincial government.

Governor Wayan Koster said the climate policies were aimed not only at reducing carbon emissions but also at protecting the environment that supports the island's economy, including its tourism industry.

“Protecting nature is not an obstacle to economic growth. By protecting nature, we are creating new sources of sustainable economic growth,” Koster said at the Indonesia Carbon and Biodiversity Summit 2026 in Nusa Dua, Badung, on Tuesday.

Bali currently has around 45 megawatt-peak (MWp) of installed solar power capacity, more than 17,000 electric vehicles and 302 electric vehicle charging stations across its nine regencies and cities, according to the provincial government.

The government is also seeking to protect mangroves and seagrass beds, expand organic farming and strengthen forest conservation as part of efforts to preserve biodiversity and increase carbon absorption.

For the tourism sector, the policies are expected to encourage development that places greater emphasis on environmental protection, particularly in coastal areas and destinations that depend heavily on natural ecosystems.

Bali is seeking investment and partnerships in three areas: blue carbon projects involving mangroves and seagrass, large-scale solar power and agricultural carbon projects linked to organic farming and soil carbon.

The province is initially targeting around 300 MWp of large-scale solar power capacity, with the potential for further expansion, Koster said.

Rob Raffael Kardinal, chairman of the Indonesia Carbon Credit and Biodiversity Alliance (ICCBA), said Bali's combination of natural resources, culture, government policy and local communities gave it the potential to become a model for carbon and biodiversity-based economic development.

Such projects should involve governments, businesses, investors, local communities and international institutions to ensure they meet credible standards while providing economic benefits to local residents, he said.

Bali is one of Indonesia's main tourist destinations, and its economy relies heavily on tourism. Protecting its natural environment is therefore increasingly important to the long-term sustainability of the island's tourism industry. (Gusti Haes)