Just as Raja Ampat fetches UNESCO Biosphere Reserve title, nickel mining looms

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 inh