History

The Center for Peatland & Disaster Studies (CPDS), (“Pusat Unggulan Iptek Gambut & Kebencanaan” or “PUI-GK”), University of Riau (UNRI) is one of the research centers under the Institute for Researches and Community Services (“Lembaga Penelitian dan Pengabdian Masyarakat” or “LPPM”) which focuses on issues associated with peatlands and hydro-meteorological disasters. LPPM has already received the certificate of ISO9001 since 2015, while UNRI is categorized as an excellent (A) university accreditation by The Directorate General of Higher Education, Republic of Indonesia. The Center emphasizes action research in coping with these issues. PSGB was founded in 2014 as Haze Disaster Task Unit (“STBA”) that was established as UNRI’s emergency response to the 2014’s widespread peat fires in Riau. STBA was later formally changed into PSB (Pusat Studi Bencana) on 22 April 2014 based on SK Rektor UNRI No. 17/UN19/KP/2015. Then PSB was later formally changed into PSGB (Pusat Studi Gambut dan Kebencanaan) on 13 April 2023 since the activities focused on the peatland studies and its disaster.

The CPDS / PUI-GK consists of multidiscipline researchers offering expertise in various aspects of haze disaster and related to peatland management such as hydrology, ecology, social, anthropology, economy, law, and engineering. Since April 2014, PSB has contributed to haze disaster mitigations and peatland restorations through a number of activities, such as action research, academic seminars, and voluntary activities in collaboration with various stakeholders. Those stakeholders are Peatland Restoration Agency (BRG), Centre for International Forest Research (CIFOR), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF Indonesia), National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), King’s College London, Durham University, University of Maryland, Winrock International, National Agriculture Research Centre (NARIC) Hungary, WALHI, IPB University, Kyoto University, Yamaguchi University, Miyazaki University, local government, and the local community. The detailed track record of the PSB’s activities is presented in the next section. Along with the increasing number of action research activities in collaboration with various parties, PSB is increasingly trusted to carry out other related activities about peatland and disaster management. This track record further strengthens PSB’s vision to become an excellent research center on issues associated with disaster management and peat ecosystem management in the Asian region.

In addition to conducting action research, since April 2019 PSB also regularly holds a monthly academic discussion on issues related to peatlands and disasters in a forum called PSB’s Peat Circle. This forum is an open discussion in that anyone interested could be a participant, including students, lecturers, environmental activists, practitioners, representatives of related governmental offices, and local, national as well as international experts.

Vision & Mission

To become an excellent research center on issues associated with peatlands and hydro-meteorological disasters in Asia by 2035.

The missions of the CPDS are:

1. Conducting research with emphasis on action research on issues related to peatland and hydro-meteorological disasters to contribute to scientific development on these matters.
2. Developing research-based strategies to mitigate peatland and hydro-meteorological disasters, particularly in Riau Province.
3. Developing excellent research-based skills and technologies for the mitigation of peatland and hydro-meteorological disasters.