KEHATI to educate businesspeople on green concerns
KEHATI to educate businesspeople on green concerns
Anis Hamidati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Environmentalists and businesspeople seem to have little in common, as their attitudes toward natural resources are based on different concerns.
It is easy for activists to blame businesspeople for the destruction of the environment, while conversely, businesspeople are disdainful of the claims made by environmentalists.
To mark its tenth birthday, the Indonesian Diversity Foundation (KEHATI) has planned a new program, which aims to alter existing attitudes on the relationship between conservation and industry.
KEHATI was founded in 1994 by former president Soeharto's environment minister Emil Salim, who is also a top economist.
"Over the past decade, we have been working with the community, and now we are hoping to work with the private sector," said the group's executive director, Ismid Hadad.
Ismid said his group was interested in more than just a public-relations drive, which targeted the private sector. He said that, under the Corporate Social Responsibility program, companies would be encouraged to participate in environmental actions.
He explained that businesspeople must be responsible for their impact on society and the environment, as there was ample evidence that they caused environmental destruction.
The group is also targeting banks and other financial institutions which support industrial activities. "It might as well be banks that we reach out to, since they are largely responsible for the destruction of our environment. For example, most of the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) non- performing loans have been allocated for businesses responsible for deforestation," said Ismid.
At least 15 of the world's top banks have already adopted social and environmental principals into their business schemes. Unfortunately, Indonesian banks, or institutions based in the country, have not followed suit.
While conversation efforts are not keeping up with the alarming pace of environmental destruction, KEHATI has secured cooperation with Bank Indonesia to focus on this issue.
The success of the program depends upon the private sector's realization that the next generation, including their own children and grandchildren, will reap the rewards.
On Feb. 6, the group launched two books on conservation; Reconciling Conservation and Utilization and Pioneering Conservation on Kakaban Island.
The first book recounts the experiences and efforts of KEHATI in various communities throughout the country, while the second book concerns the groups attempts to conserve Kakaban Island. Many people are not familiar with the island -- which is located in East Kalimantan -- but the natural beauty of Kakaban has won the heart of award-winning journalist Maria Hartiningsih.
Maria said that when trying to describe the island she was "lost for words".
"I have been to Malaysia's Pangkor sea resort which is known to the world as a beautiful place, but it is nothing compared to Kakaban Island," she added.
Kakaban is a breathtaking sight from the air as a fresh water lake dominates the island, making it look like a pool within the sea. The island is biologically diverse as it is home to both marine life and freshwater species.
The group is now working to educate the islanders on how to sustain their natural environment, as well as to persuade the local government to reject a proposal to turn the island into a resort. It has also been suggested that UNESCO list Kakaban Island as a world heritage site, lets hope for the best.