Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Even as UNESCO hails Raja Ampat as a global conservation model, nickel mining threatens to carve up its forests and coral reefs.
On Sept. 27, UNESCO designated 26 new biosphere reserves across 21 countries – the highest number in 20 years. Among them is Raja Ampat, strengthening its place as a flagship site of global biodiversity conservation and adding to its recognition as a UNESCO Global Geopark earned in 2023.
The "dual designation" makes Raja Ampat one of the very few places on Earth honored both for its geological heritage and its biodiversity.
Located off the western tip of New Guinea's main island, the new Raja Ampat Biosphere Reserve spans 13.5 million hectares (33.4 million acres) – about the size of New York state – and encompasses some 610 islands, only 34 of them inhabited.
UNESCO calls the archipelago a "living laboratory" of conservation, citing its 400-million-year-old rock formations and extraordinary marine life.
Known as the "Amazon of the Seas," Raja Ampat sits at the heart of the Coral Triangle and hosts 75% of the world's coral species, more than 1,300 reef fish species and five species of rare or endangered turtles, including the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata).
Mining threat
But this international acclaim comes as mining concessions advance in the same waters and forests. A new report from Indonesian NGO Auriga Nusantara and U.S.-based Earth Insight finds that nickel concessions in Raja Ampat cover 22,000 hectares (54,000 acres), including zones that overlap with coral reefs and marine habitats.
The groups say operations by several companies – including PT Gag Nikel, owned by state mining firm Antam – have already destroyed forest cover and damaged coral reefs. They warn that continued extraction could put at risk 2,470 hectares (6,000 acres) of reefs and endangered species habitat, along with 7,200 hectares (17,500 acres) of forests.
Those impacts would ripple across Indigenous communities: More than 64,000 people rely on Raja Ampat's ecosystems for their livelihoods.
"The UNESCO biosphere reserve designation is further proof of how important Raja Ampat is for biodiversity, both on land and at sea," Arie Rompas, head of the forest campaign at Greenpeace Indonesia, told Mongabay. "The Indonesian government must urgently commit to permanently protecting Raja Ampat and revoke all nickel mining permits that continue to threaten its future."
So far, UNESCO itself has not commented on the mining threat. But in an August 2025 document, the agency's advisory committee acknowledged that the proposed biosphere reserve area is rich in nickel and has potential for oil and natural gas development.
The committee asked the Indonesian government to provide detailed information on concession locations, environmental impacts and assessments before it approved the biosphere reserve nomination, suggesting the agency is aware of the risks.
Why it matters
Raja Ampat's dual recognition adds global prestige to a site already considered one of the most important seascapes on Earth. About 60% of its reefs are in good to excellent condition, despite past damage from destructive fishing with explosives and potassium.
"The region exemplifies how conservation, science, local knowledge, and sustainable development can coexist for the well-being of communities and the preservation of the environment," UNESCO said in a statement.
Environmentalists hope the new status can serve as leverage to halt extractive projects.
"Hopefully with the designation as biosphere reserve, the destruction of Raja Ampat could stop and shift to conservation that also empowers communities," Timer Manurung, executive director of Auriga Nusantara, told Mongabay.
Indonesia's UNESCO Man and the Biosphere program committee says the new reserve will strengthen local conservation without undermining local authority.
"The success of managing Raja Ampat as a Biosphere Reserve depends on the synergy among all parties involved," Maman Turjaman, chair of the national committee, said in 2024.
He added that Indigenous knowledge would remain central, supported by local governments.
UNESCO frames biosphere reserves as "living laboratories" where communities, scientists and governments collaborate to balance human development with ecosystem protection. In Raja Ampat, that could mean expanding sustainable fisheries and ecotourism, while providing new opportunities for climate and biodiversity research.
Yet evidence from elsewhere suggests the ecological benefits of such designations are limited.
A recent Nature study of 119 UNESCO biosphere reserves worldwide found that only 15% performed better across ecosystem functions like water regulation and connectivity compared with surrounding areas. Most showed little measurable ecological advantage.
That raises questions about whether international recognition alone can safeguard Raja Ampat against the growing pressure of nickel extraction, driven by global demand for batteries in electric vehicles and renewable energy storage.
To implement the designation, UNESCO says a five-year management plan has been drafted for 2025-29. A new institution, the Raja Ampat Islands Biosphere Reserve Management Coordination and Communication Forum, will bring together local governments, Indigenous representatives and other stakeholders to coordinate programs.
Whether those plans can withstand the economic pull of mining remains uncertain.
For conservationists like Arie, the stakes could not be higher.
"No nickel is worth the destruction of the Raja Ampat ecosystem, which is often referred to as the last paradise on Earth," he said.
Citation
Gohr, C., Von Wehrden, H., Saatchi, S., Pettorelli, N., & Ibisch, P. L. (2025). Effectiveness of the world network of biosphere reserves in maintaining forest ecosystem functions. Communications Earth & Environment, 6(1). doi:10.1038/s43247-025-02081-y