Legislator: Climate Change Threatens National Development Resilience

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives Commission IV, Alex Indra Lukman, stated that climate change must be viewed as a threat to national development resilience and should therefore form the basis of government policy planning. Alex conveyed this view in Jakarta on Thursday, following floods that hit several areas of West Sumatra despite the dry season. “Extreme rainfall patterns that no longer follow seasonal cycles indicate that a development approach relying on the seasonal calendar is no longer sufficient to protect the public,” he said. According to Alex, the shift in weather patterns shows that Indonesia is entering a new era of disaster risk, requiring the government to build a more anticipatory public protection system. He assessed that the government needs to evaluate various development policies that still use conventional seasonal assumptions, including in infrastructure planning, spatial planning, watershed management, residential areas, agriculture, and public services. He stated that climate adaptation must become a core principle in national and regional development planning, not merely a sectoral policy. Regarding the flooding in West Sumatra, Alex also urged local governments to ensure that aid to affected communities is distributed equitably, with attention to vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, pregnant women, persons with disabilities, and other at-risk populations. He emphasised that the sooner the government anticipates climate risk changes, the smaller the social, economic, and humanitarian impacts the public will have to bear. Previously, flooding hit Padang due to very high-intensity rain on Monday (3/8), creating 15 flood points in Padang City. Similar disasters have also begun to occur in other areas of West Sumatra, including Agam Regency. Although the floodwaters in Padang City have gradually receded, the impact was significant, with the large volume of water sweeping away residents’ belongings. The flooding affected 1,488 families, and 1,377 individuals were forced to evacuate.