Minister of Environment Urges All Parties to Repair Relationship with Nature
The Ministry of Environment/Environmental Management Agency (KLH/BPLH) has invited all stakeholders to use World Environment Day as a momentum to collectively protect the environment. This comes as the Earth faces significant pressure from the ‘triple planetary crisis’: climate crisis, loss of biodiversity, and environmental pollution.
The Minister of Environment/Head of BPLH, Moh Jumhur Hidayat, emphasised that this year’s World Environment Day must serve as a turning point from mere awareness to tangible action. He expressed this during the peak commemoration of World Environment Day 2026, attended by 10,000 participants at the Cibubur Scout Camping Ground.
“World Environment Day 2026 is a momentum for all of us to reflect, recognise our mistakes, and move towards repairing our relationship with nature,” Jumhur stated in a written release on Saturday (6/6/2026).
According to the Minister, the current environmental condition demands an ‘ecological repentance’, involving a change in human perspectives and behaviours towards nature. Protecting the environment requires more than just commitment and concern; it must be realised through real and sustainable daily actions.
“KLH/BPLA emphasises that climate action does not always begin with large steps. Indeed, change can start at the level closest to community life. One of the simplest actions with a massive impact is sorting waste at the source. This step is vital because waste issues are not only related to environmental cleanliness but also contribute to climate change,” he explained.
Indonesia produces approximately 51 million tonnes of waste annually, much of which ends up in landfills in a mixed state. Organic waste accumulating in landfills produces methane gas, a greenhouse gas with a much higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide.
“Therefore, the more waste is sorted, reduced, reused, recycled, or processed at the source, the smaller the greenhouse gas emissions produced. At the same time, the burden on landfills can be reduced, and the quality of the community’s environment can be improved,” he added.
Through the ‘Indonesia Aman, Sehat, Resik, dan Indah’ (ASRI) movement, KLH/BPLH is encouraging the public to make waste sorting a new daily culture. This movement is part of an effort to build awareness that climate action does not always require advanced technology or large investments, but can start with consistent behavioural changes by every individual. He noted that the spirit of ‘No Generation Left Behind’ is a crucial part of this effort.
“No generation should be left behind in understanding, facing, and playing a role in overcoming the environmental crisis. Today’s generation has the responsibility to ensure that future generations continue to have access to a healthy environment, sustainable natural resources, and a better quality of life,”
The government will continue to strengthen various policies and programmes for climate change control and environmental protection to support the ‘Indonesia Emas 2045’ vision, following the directives of President Prabowo Subianto. However, the success of these efforts can only be achieved through the active collaboration and participation of all elements of society.
Furthermore, the theme ‘Time to Work for Climate’ for the 2026 World Environment Day serves as an invitation for all elements of the nation to participate in climate action, from the immediate environment to a broader scale.
This message aligns with the Minister of National Development Planning/Head of Bappenas, Rachmat Pambudy, who emphasised that environmental issues cannot be separated from the national development agenda.
“Environmental matters concern the past, present, and future. The President has very concrete programmes regarding food self-sufficiency, water self-sufficiency, and energy self-sufficiency. None of these can be achieved if the environment is not well-maintained. The Minister of Environment has stated that solving environmental problems requires a collective movement from all elements of society,” Pambode concluded.