JP\/1\/REPORT<\/p>\n
Report reveals rapid environmental degradation<\/p>\n
A. Junaidi
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesia is facing unchecked environmental deterioration,
\nranging from heightening air and water pollution to the increase
\nin critical land, the office of the State Minister for the
\nEnvironment said in its report.<\/p>\n
The Indonesia State of Environment Report 2002, a copy of
\nwhich was made available to The Jakarta Post over the weekend,
\ndetails factors that contributed to environmental deterioration
\nlast year. Despite the government's efforts to address the issue,
\nthe condition was much worse last year than in previous years.<\/p>\n
The publication of the report, which will be launched as a
\nbook, was financed by the United Nations for Environment Program
\n(UNEP). The first environment report was issued by the state
\nminister's office in 1992, but due to financial constraints,
\nthere was a ten-year gap until the next report was produced. The
\n2002 report is only the second environment report to be
\npublished.<\/p>\n
A team of 13 experts at the office of the State Minister for
\nthe Environment conducted studies between 2001 and 2002 for the
\nreport.<\/p>\n
The report discloses that air pollution in major cities across
\nthe country was mostly caused by an increase in the number of
\nvehicles on the roads. Industries, households and forest fires
\ncontributed to the poor air quality in major cities. The report
\nconcludes that these three factors were responsible for 30
\npercent of the overall air pollution.<\/p>\n
The number of motorized vehicles in Indonesia has soared from
\n18.22 million in 1999 to 18.97 million in 2000, and then to 20.78
\nmillion in 2001. Of these, 99.9 percent are powered by leaded
\ngasoline and diesel fuel.<\/p>\n
Massive forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan between July
\nand October 2002 also contributed to air pollution and disrupting
\ncommunity health, as they caused respiratory illnesses, it said.<\/p>\n
Water pollution has reached an alarming level due to
\nindustrial, household and farmland wastes.<\/p>\n
"Many factories, notably in Riau and East Java, are still
\ndumping their liquid waste to the river, so are thousands of
\nhouseholds in Jakarta, Surabaya and Medan, while residues of
\nfertilizer and pesticide have also damaged water resources in
\nfarmlands," the report said.<\/p>\n
It also said official dump sites in major cities like Jakarta
\nand Surabaya were not properly managed and thus contributed to
\nwater pollution.<\/p>\n
Environmental damage was also reflected by the increasing area
\nof critical land as a result of the swelling population, rampant
\nforest fires and illegal logging.<\/p>\n
The environmental office found that illegal logging could not
\nbe addressed properly because of the complexity of the problem
\nstemming from the extensive number of involved parties.<\/p>\n
Instead of contributing toward a solution to the problem, the
\npolice, the military, prosecutors, customs and excise officials
\nand regional administrations has only added to it, the report
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Data from the environmental office showed that damage to
\nforests across the country has affected 23.2 million hectares,
\nwhile damage to mangrove forests has reached 5.8 million
\nhectares.<\/p>\n
The environmental destruction caused by forest degradation,
\nland conversion and pollution has resulted in a significant
\ndecrease in the country's biodiversity.<\/p>\n
"Between 20 percent and 70 percent of species have vanished,
\naccording to data in 1993, and one species has disappeared every
\nday in 1997 because of the environmental damage."<\/p>\n
The report attributed the increase in natural disasters, such
\nas floods and landslides, across the country last year to the
\nworsening environmental condition, water and air pollution,
\nforest fires and critical land created by illegal logging.<\/p>\n
Sri Hudyastuti, an editor, said the 151-page book provided an
\nobjective overview of the real condition of Indonesia's
\nenvironment.<\/p>\n
"We want to draw the government's attention and incite a
\nresponse from the government and, especially, the people, and ask
\nthem to participate in the environmental conservation movement,"
\nsaid Sri. She is also communication affairs assistant to the
\ndeputy state minister for the environment.<\/p>\n
She claimed the government had set up several programs to
\nsalvage the environment, but it would be useless without
\nconcerted public participation.<\/p>\n
.rm70
\nNatural disasters caused by poor environmental management
\n-------------------------------------------------------------------
\nPlace period disaster casualties<\/p>\n
1. Jakarta Feb. 2002 floods 5
\n2. Medan\/Deli Serdang, Dec. 2001- floods<\/p>\n
North Sumatra Jan. 2002
\n3. Pacet, East Java Dec. 11, 2002 flood\/landslide 26
\n4. Gunung Gemala, Dec. 2002 landslide<\/p>\n
Lampung
\n5. Sumatra, Java, Bali, Apr.-July 2002 drought<\/p>\n
Lombok
\n--------------------------------------------------------------------
\nSource: Indonesia State of Environment Report 2002<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp1report-1447899208",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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