El Niño Predicted to Strengthen, Bappenas Urges All Ministries to Be on Alert

Minister for National Development Planning Rachmat Pambudy has urged all ministries and agencies to prioritise early action in anticipation of a potentially strong El Niño in 2026. He stated that addressing the impacts of climate change can no longer be done reactively but must be based on anticipation, scientific analysis, and cross-sector coordination. Speaking at the National Dialogue on Cross-Sector Response to the Impact of a Strong El Niño in 2026 in Jakarta on Tuesday, Rachmat said the event was a momentum to align the steps of all stakeholders in reducing climate disaster risks. He emphasised that the response must be measurable and become part of a national action plan. “We must ensure that the response we build is no longer just reactive but rather an early action that is integrated, measurable, and deeply rooted in our climate analysis,” Rachmat said. He added that a foundation of science and cross-sector collaboration is key to maintaining the sustainability of national development while strengthening Indonesia’s resilience in facing global climate dynamics. He therefore requested that all ministries and institutions use the dialogue as a basis for formulating concrete short-, medium-, and long-term steps. According to Rachmat, the impact of El Niño is already becoming visible through below-normal rainfall from July to October, which could disrupt clean water availability, increase the number of hotspots, trigger forest and land fires, and raise the risk of acute respiratory infections. Consequently, he said, government interventions need to focus on the agriculture, forestry, health, water resources, energy, and marine sectors to prevent climate change impacts from disrupting national stability and development targets towards a Golden Indonesia. Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo previously stated that his ministry had been anticipating the potential El Niño for several months. One of the steps taken is accelerating the construction of boreholes to maintain water supplies when river and reservoir levels drop during the dry season. “We have actually been working on anticipating El Niño for the past two to three months. The problem is that rivers and reservoirs dry up. We are currently doing a lot of drilling to find groundwater sources,” Dody explained. He added that the Ministry of Public Works is collaborating with the National Research and Innovation Agency to utilise isotope technology to locate groundwater sources. This technology is being applied to strengthen national water security while maintaining agricultural productivity. “So that food self-sufficiency in 2026 and 2027 can still be maintained,” Dody said. He added that the construction of modern boreholes is being accelerated in various regions to ensure water supply for irrigation networks remains available, allowing farmers to continue cultivating crops during the dry season.