Indonesia Urges Global Collaboration to Tackle Sustainable Development Challenges

Indonesia is pushing for stronger global collaboration to tackle increasingly complex sustainable development challenges, ranging from the climate crisis and food security to the slowdown in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Cross-border cooperation between countries, the business sector, academia, and international institutions is seen as key to accelerating solutions for interconnected development issues. This message emerged at the opening of the Global Sustainable Development Congress (GSDC) 2026 in BSD, Tangerang, on Monday (22/6/2026). The global forum, which brought together more than 1,000 world leaders from government, higher education, industry, and international organisations, serves as a platform to accelerate SDG achievement amid mounting global challenges. Deputy for Food, Natural Resources, and Environment at the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas, Leonardo A.A. Teguh Sambodo, stated that the world is facing increasing pressure from climate change, environmental degradation, and various crises that directly impact economic and social development. According to Leonardo, these challenges can no longer be viewed solely as environmental issues but have evolved into systemic risks affecting food security, water availability, public health, and economic stability. “The climate crisis is no longer a standalone environmental issue. Its impacts have broadly affected economic development, social welfare, and public well-being,” Leonardo said. Leonardo noted that recent data shows most global SDG targets are still lagging. In the Asia-Pacific region, approximately 88 percent of SDG targets are not on track to meet the 2030 deadline. He said this situation requires a more integrated development approach, linking economic, social, and environmental agendas within a mutually supportive policy framework. For Indonesia, Leonardo continued, the SDGs have become part of the national development agenda integrated with the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision and the target of achieving net zero emissions by 2060. According to Leonardo, Indonesia’s progress continues to show positive developments. Based on the 2025 Indonesia SDGs report, around 62.7 percent of national indicators have reached their targets or are showing favourable trends. Nevertheless, Leonardo stressed that acceleration is still needed given the increasingly complex development challenges requiring support from various parties. He emphasised that universities hold a strategic position in accelerating SDG achievement through research, innovation, and developing solutions that can be directly applied in communities. “Sustainable development requires the active contribution of all stakeholders, and universities are at the centre of this effort,” Leonardo said. Leonardo noted that Indonesia currently has 75 SDGs Centres spread across 26 provinces. These study centres are expected to strengthen collaboration between campuses, local governments, communities, and the business sector in addressing various development challenges. Meanwhile, British Ambassador to Indonesia Dominic Jermey said sustainable development represents one of the greatest challenges and opportunities for current and future generations. According to Dominic, the transition to a green economy has the potential to create new jobs and drive more sustainable economic growth. However, the success of this transformation depends heavily on the quality of education and human resource development. “Education is the foundation for building the skills, knowledge, and innovation needed in the future economy,” Dominic said. Dominic stated that the UK continues to strengthen cooperation with Indonesia in education, research, climate change, and technology development. This collaboration is expected to accelerate the emergence of innovative solutions to address global development challenges. He added that sustainable development cannot be achieved by governments, businesses, or academia working in isolation. Therefore, collaboration is the main factor in accelerating the achievement of global development targets. “The transition to a sustainable future can only be achieved through collaboration. All parties have an important role in shaping a better future,” Dominic said. The Global Sustainable Development Congress 2026 runs for several days and features discussions on various strategic issues, from climate change and educational transformation to technological innovation and strengthening global partnerships to accelerate SDG achievement.