Step 2 Defining the Problem continue..

Still in Step 2 Defining the Problem..

Applying IEM framework into palm oil case in Indonesia is quiet interesting due to its complex situation. It makes problem definition as a fundamental step in IEM framework more challenging. Problem definition should incorporate multidisciplinary approach. Table 1 describes how IEM approach is employed to analyse palm oil problem in Indonesia.

Table 1. Analysis on palm oil problem 

Environmental Analysis

·         Rainforest area or degraded land used for palm oil plantation: boudaries

·         Biodiversity loss such as native vegetation and native fauna

·         The increasing of carbon emission from deforestation

·         Habitat destruction of Orang utan and Tiger

·         Indigenous land and impoverishment

·         Water pollution from land clearing

·         Air pollution from land clearing

Policy Analysis

·         Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) – an international palm oil scheme

·         Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil – an Indonesian government scheme

·         Lack of consistency of policy whether to conservation or expansion palm oil industry

·         Regulatory uncertainty

·         Concession around 9 million hectares to expand palm oil farm

·         Indonesian government moratorium on forest protection

Institutional Analysis

·         Ministry of Forestry has an authority on forest use

·         Local government also has a regional authority on their land

·         Indonesian Palm Oil Association

·         Lack of coordination among government agencies

Source: Analysis and from http://www.indonesia-investments.com/doing-business/commodities/palm-oil/item166

From the table, we get a brief description of how complex the palm oil problem in Indonesia. Environmental analysis explains that palm oil plantation has severe effects on environment and livelihood of indigenous people. Those environmental problems may be sourced from unclear policy. Policy analysis implicates that inconsistency in policy implementation also causes the palm oil problem. The conflicting policy is likely to result from lack of stakeholders’ engagement. Institutional analysis describes that overlapping authority on government agencies results to unclear regulation of palm oil sector. We can conclude that the problems of palm oil are:

ü Deforestation from land clearing for palm oil plantation which cause habitat and biodiversity loss

ü Threaten the livelihood of indigenous people

ü Lack of stakeholders’ engagement

ü Inconsistent policy whether to expand palm oil or to protect forest

We can also use common frame of reference from Swaffield (1998) as I posted on the previous blog. Actually this common frame of reference needs input by doing interview to decision makers, but I try to set it up from the overall condition of palm oil problem.

Table 2 Problem analysis using common frame of reference

Common Frame of Reference	Issue definition	Preferred outcome	Preferred role of government
Multiple use management	Need for clear policy and regulation on palm oil plantation	Extensive palm oil plantation with considering environmental sustainability	Coordination and intervention at all levels
Conservative management	Need for active management of forest use	Balance use between palm oil plantation and environment protection	Modest intervention
Consensus by administration	Need for procedural process	Consensus as a balance of needs	Intervention with clearly defined limits
Conservation by control	Need for active control for biodiversity protection	No further palm oil plantation	Central government intervention to protect public interest
Individual improvement	Opportunity for improvement	Palm oil plantation which benefits smallholders	Pro poor government policy
Balance of local interests	Need for decisions which accommodate local and indigenous interests	Palm oil plantation should be based on local decisions	Local government as a mediator and decision maker
System design	Need for policy reform	Conflict resolution and emphasizes on property rights	Reconstruct policy

   (Source: Adapted from Swaffield, 1998: 500)

Common frame of reference describes different interests among stakeholders or decision makers in palm oil problem. This may be the starting point to develop an appropriate solution to the problem. This sounds easy to the extent that we have solved a problem, but not when implementation should be undertaken. As Cairns (1991) described that there are twenty four (24) barriers which may obstruct the implementation of IEM approach, among them are (Cairns, 1991) :

·      IEM takes time

·      Turf battles

·      Unwillingness to compromise

·      The uncertainty of the outcome

Comparably, there are also some barriers that may hamper IEM approach on palm oil problem:

·      Lack of commitment to environmental protection

·      Lack of law enforcement including corruption

·      Turf battles among government agencies

·      Dilemma between economic development target and environmental sustainability

Those barriers seem to be obstacles that may block the pathway to IEM on palm oil case. Nevertheless, addressing barriers is helpful to reframe palm oil problem because we know what to do to overcome the barriers. It is a valuable lesson learned that can be used to improve IEM approach.

At the end, I would argue that the problem of palm oil plantation in Indonesia is that there is no clear problem definition so that there is no solution has been reached to it. Stakeholders seem to stand on their own interests and there is no agreement of what the problem is and how to overcome it. On the next post, I will discuss about the next step in IEM framework after problem definition: goal setting.  

References

Cairns, J. J. (1991). The Need for Integrated Environmental System Management. In Integrated Environmental Management (pp. 5-20). Chelsea, Michigan: Lewis Publisher.

Swaffield, S. (1998). Frames of Reference: A Metaphor for Analyzing and Interpreting Attitudes of Environmental Policy Makers and Policy Influences. Environmental Management, Vol. 22 No. 4 , 495-504.