Environment Ministry Prepares National Movement for Environmental Restoration
The Ministry of Environment (KLH) is preparing a National Environmental Restoration Movement as a strategic step to build collective awareness among all elements of the nation in tackling environmental damage.
Minister of Environment Jumhur Hidayat stated that the movement adopts a national ecological repentance approach. “We have the idea to carry out a National Environmental Restoration Movement to unite the awareness of individuals, businesspeople, students, and central and regional governments,” he said during a seminar on environmental policy direction at the University of Nasional (Unas) campus in Jakarta, Tuesday.
In his presentation, the Minister noted that often overlooked negligence, such as the careless disposal of plastic waste into rivers, ultimately leads to marine pollution that can endanger public health through microplastics.
KLH considers resolving the waste problem crucial, as Indonesia currently produces up to 51 million tonnes of waste annually, yet 74 percent of it is not optimally managed and mostly accumulates in open dumping landfills. This unsorted waste cycle triggers an environmental emergency by releasing methane gas, which is 30 times more damaging than carbon dioxide, thereby worsening hydrometeorological disasters in coastal areas inhabited by 60 percent of the population.
“Yes, it is in preparation and hopefully by August we can launch this integrated ecosystem restoration movement, including student involvement,” he said.
Jumhur stressed that this action programme is not merely a moral discourse but will be followed by concrete technical measures for environmental management on the ground. Other concrete programmes being prepared include massive tree planting and river clean-ups, balanced with firm action to stop the dumping of industrial waste and household rubbish.
KLH is targeting the planting of 2 billion trees across Indonesia as part of efforts to improve environmental quality and enhance ecosystem carrying capacity. “Repentance, but not just repentance as we imagine it, there are technical steps. What are they? Planting trees, cleaning rivers while stopping the pollution. For example, if there is an industrial area, the river is cleaned, but the industrial area continues to dump waste, that is a lie. Or if the community continues to throw plastic waste there, that is also a lie. So, everything must be well orchestrated. That is one of our intentions,” he asserted.