Indonesia has launched Ground Truthed.id (GTID), a new advanced platform for forest monitoring aimed at curbing deforestation through improved supply chain transparency and legality checks. GTID was launched by environmental NGO Kaoem Telapak, which teamed up with local monitors, grassroots organizations, and civil society groups to capture real-time data and track environmental violations as they happen from the ground.
“Through GTID, we gather all field-based documentation and compile it into a unified system,” remarked Denny Bhatara, a senior campaigner with Kaoem Telapak. “The faster we can share information, the better the chances of taking preventive action.”
Fulfilment of the EU’s Deforestation Regulation
The launch of GTID comes as Indonesia is getting ready to meet the requirements of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which will come into effect on December 30, 2025. As with any sustainable development initiatives, the EUDR requires producers and traders to show further compliance by proving their traded goods do not originate from deforested land post 2020, using detailed evidence, including precise geolocation data.
Indonesia, being the number one producer of palm oil and a significant exporter of timber, coffee, cocoa, and rubber trades, will greatly bear the brunt of the EUDR. The Indonesian government is trying to make sure that their producers and traders will be compliant with the regulation before the deadline.
To aid with compliance, the Indonesian government is creating a system for tracing the entire supply chain. An online dashboard set to launch this year will aggregate and align data along with geographical information systems (GIS) for commodities such as palm oil, coffee, cocoa, and rubber at all levels of the supply chain.
“GTID is important for stopping the violation of ‘no conflict’ products being exported,” said Diah Suradiredja, the National Dashboard Coordinator.
Empowering Communities for Environmental Advocacy
The grassroots strategy utilized by GTID enables local people to take part in environmental stewardship. Kaoem Telapak trains Indigenous youths and local monitors so that those who suffer the consequences of deforestation are able to document and report illegal activities.
Mardi Minangsari, President of Kaoem Telapak, said, “We hope this platform will enable monitors to tell the world how Indonesia is working on the ground and what the reality on the ground is.”
A major departure from traditional satellite-based monitoring systems is the focus on community participation and real-time information collection. These frameworks offer a timelier and more precise depiction of the situation on the ground.
A Concept for International Ecological Surveillance
The GTID platform developed in Indonesia serves as a repeatable model for countries grapelled with ecosystem damage due to deforestation – one of the issues threatening ecosystems globally. While many nations are still contemplating on a sustainable approach for environmental compliance and stewardship, GTID represents one of the earliest steps towards the right direction by incorporating modern technology and community participation.
In regard to global trade, tools like GTID not only fulfill but become a necessity with the EUDR’s implementation deadline nearing. As such, unsustainable practices utilizing natural resources should be thoroughly guarded.
