A wetland forest at the Danau Sentarum National Park in West Kalimantan on Indonesian Borneo island. Indonesia's forestry ministry said Thursday it would conserve nearly half its share of Borneo island, which is covered with dense rainforest, so as to meet a presidential pledge to reduce gas emissions.

Indonesia's forestry ministry said Thursday it would conserve nearly half its share of Borneo island, which is covered with dense rainforest, so as to meet a presidential pledge to reduce gas emissions.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono signed a decree authorising conservation of at least 45 percent of its share of Borneo island, officials said, in a nation that is the world's third-worst emitter of .

"We hope with the decree, Indonesia will be able to meet its target of reducing by 26 percent by 2020," forestry ministry secretary general Hadi Daryanto told AFP.

"At least 45 percent of Indonesian Borneo will serve as the lungs of the world," a release by the president's office said.

Global environment organisations put Indonesia as the world's third-worst emitter of greenhouse gases. They say emissions are mainly due to deforestation caused by the giant  and paper industries, both rife with corruption.

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