Dino: Climate Change Should Be the World's Top Priority

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The founder of the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI), Dino Patti Djalal, believes that climate change should be the world’s primary priority as it impacts health, the economy, migration, security, industry, social welfare, energy, water, and many other sectors.

“It is the most important force determining the fate of humanity… Climate change stands above all else; it should be the number one goal… If we do not address the climate correctly, we will lose in every other area,” Dino stated in Jakarta on Saturday.

He made these remarks during the opening address of the Indonesia Net Zero Summit (INZS) 2026, organised by the FPCI in Jakarta on 1 August, themed “It’s Time to Deliver!”.

Dino also noted that the international community, including Indonesia, has a very narrow window of time until 2030, with a primary focus on halving global emissions and preventing a permanent temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius. The 2030 deadline is a scientific critical point for cutting global carbon emissions by 45 per cent to prevent Earth’s warming from exceeding the fatal 1.5-degree Celsius threshold.

Dino urged the Indonesian government to take concrete steps in addressing the climate, such as realising the 100 gigawatt (GW) solar energy target, protecting forests and peatlands—including those in Papua—developing carbon markets, and strengthening Indonesia’s climate diplomacy through multilateral forums.

“If we can prove that 100 gigawatts is alive, functioning well, and operational, investor confidence and ESG funds will flow into Indonesia,” said Dino.

“And I hope President Prabowo will be as serious about the 100 gigawatts as he is about the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme. I see this as an opportunity, and I believe the government is serious,” Dino added.

Furthermore, Dino stated that extreme weather will become the norm in the coming decades and will be a permanent part of human life, worsening if not addressed swiftly. “Regardless of where you come from, once you enter a world with a three-degree temperature rise, we will be trapped in it forever. We will all suffer,” he emphasised.

Nevertheless, the former Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister also commended the efforts of several nations pursuing carbon neutrality. He highlighted achievements in countries such as Pakistan, which increased renewable energy from 2 per cent to 32 per cent within five years; Uruguay and Brazil, which have achieved 90 per cent electricity from clean energy; and Bhutan, which currently holds