Dino: Climate Change Has Shifted from Environmental Issue to National Security Threat

The founder of the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI), Dino Patti Djalal, has stated that the climate issue has shifted from an environmental problem to a national security threat because it now affects various aspects of human life. “We are now seeing how this issue has evolved significantly into one that affects various aspects of the nation’s life,” Dino said during an interview in Jakarta on Monday. He noted that disasters such as the severe flooding in Sumatra at the end of November 2025 provided direct evidence of climate change’s impact, damaging the lives of hundreds of thousands of citizens, disrupting the national economy, and dominating the national discourse for several weeks. He also highlighted other threats from climate change, including forest fires, rising sea levels, and El Niño.

The former deputy foreign minister asserted that the Indonesian government needs to redefine national security, as threats are no longer limited to foreign attacks. “The most potentially real and high threat is climate change… climate change does not occur over just a year or two; it will continue to develop permanently,” Dino stated, adding that the international community faces a similar situation. He stressed that these challenges cannot be addressed through domestic policy alone and require active engagement in international cooperation.

Dino pointed out that Indonesia, with its strategic position and resources, has an opportunity to contribute to global efforts to tackle climate change, particularly given its tropical forests that act as natural carbon sinks. He noted that the 85 percent reduction in the deforestation rate achieved during the final two years of the Joko Widodo administration has received international recognition. He emphasised the need to maintain this achievement alongside other tropical forest nations like Brazil, Costa Rica, and Papua New Guinea. Dino also urged Indonesia to determine its stance on the climate issue, including whether to make it a priority and play an active role in shaping global policy direction in international forums.

In July 2025, the Defence Technology Agency of the Ministry of Defence stated that disasters in Indonesia demand a new approach, framing them as a strategic national threat. The agency noted that Indonesia has the highest disaster vulnerability in the world due to its position on the Pacific Ring of Fire and its tropical conditions, where the combination of natural hazards, climate change, and development dynamics makes disasters a national security issue. Proposed solutions include redefining disasters within a national defence framework and building a risk-based resilience system that integrates data, scenario modelling, defence doctrine, and strategic logistics centres. FPCI is set to hold the Indonesia Net Zero Summit 2026 on 1 August in Jakarta, aiming to elevate climate action as a national priority for development and security, and to position Indonesia to play an active and influential role in shaping the climate agenda at regional and global levels.