Mahfud MD: Green economy must leave room for future generations

Natural resources in the green economy must not be completely exhausted. Currently, everything is being felled, leaving nothing for the younger generation.

Mataram (ANTARA) - Constitutional law expert Mahfud MD has stressed that the concept of a green economy must be carried out sustainably, ensuring that natural resources are not fully exploited and leaving space for future generations.

“Natural resources in the green economy must not be felled completely. What is happening now is that everything is being felled, so the young generation gets nothing,” he said during a public lecture at UIN Mataram campus in Mataram City, NTB, on Tuesday.

The former Chairman of the Sharia Economic Community Movement Council (MES) explained that the main principle of the green economy is to maintain a balance between the utilisation and preservation of nature.

This approach is important to ensure that natural resources remain available in the long term, while also preventing environmental damage that could lead to disasters.

“The green economy must be about saving, it must not cause disasters like the floods that hit three provinces in Sumatra,” he quipped.

Furthermore, Mahfud conveyed that the practice of managing natural resources in Indonesia so far still leaves serious problems in the distribution of economic benefits.

Many mining-rich areas are inhabited by residents with relatively low welfare levels, while large profits are more enjoyed by external parties.

“Many people have iron, nickel, and gold mines, but the residents around them are poor. Revenue to the state is substantial, and what benefits outsiders—that is what Prabowo wants to fix,” Mahfud MD concluded.

The green economy is one of six economic transformation strategies for Indonesia to achieve the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision. The Green Economy Index (GEI) shows a positive trend over the last decade, rising from 47.2 percent in 2011 to 59.17 percent in 2020.