Deputy Interior Minister: Regional Governance Key to Facing Climate Change Challenges
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Interior Minister (Wamendagri) Bima Arya Sugiarto stressed that enhancing aspects of implementation, governance, and policy execution in regions has now become the primary key to addressing climate change.
He stated that the challenges in tackling climate change and realising inclusive development no longer lie in regulatory aspects or policy commitments.
“So these executions are our major challenges (and) regional governments are the key,” said Bima in his statement in Jakarta on Wednesday.
He conveyed this while serving as the keynote speaker at the National Policy Dialogue and Workshop on Social Inclusion and Resilience in Asia (SIRA) in Jakarta.
Bima explained that Indonesia already possesses various policy frameworks, regulations, and strong international commitments to support sustainable development and net zero emission targets. Nevertheless, these instruments have not yet been fully translated effectively into implementation at the regional level.
The main issue lies in the weakness of data integration, cross-sector coordination, and insufficient attention to vulnerable groups in planning and implementing development.
“So the urgency often stops at the level of training, documents, or actually formalities in budgets,” he said.
Furthermore, Bima emphasised that gender perspectives, inclusivity, and disability should not be viewed merely as additional programmes.
According to him, these perspectives must be integral to the way governments formulate policies and ensure that all societal groups gain equal access and benefits from development.
“This is (about) who gets access, who is involved, who then enjoys the benefits. This is the mindset for issuing policies and income,” said Bima.
He noted that several regions have demonstrated good practices through integrated approaches, community-based methods, and strengthening institutions involving multiple stakeholders.
Bima exemplified Yogyakarta, which he assessed as having strong institutional strengthening and planning integration, from the planning process to programme implementation at the regional apparatus level.
Additionally, Semarang was mentioned for its community-based approach, while Surabaya was deemed successful in building integrated social services.
He also touched on good practices in Makassar, which promotes a community-based approach at the alley or neighbourhood level as a space for strengthening social and environmental issues.
“So in essence, each region has different strengths, and that becomes local inspiration, which can be duplicated and learned from. So ladies and gentlemen, I think the main point is that it’s not the programmes, but the system,” he stated.
Bima hopes that regional governments can continue to strengthen institutional capacity, data integration, cross-sector collaboration, and meaningful community participation. Such efforts are essential to realise inclusive, adaptive, and sustainable regional development amid global climate change challenges.