Regions told to implement sustainability

Regions told to implement sustainability

Ridwan Max Sijabat and Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post/Medan

Under regional autonomy, local governments should play strategic
roles in implementing sustainable development, a top government
minister says.

Since autonomy was implemented in 2001, regional governments
have had the power to produce and implement a policy that
supported sustainable development, State Minister of the
Environment Rachmat Nadi Witoelar said.

This development could be achieved if the regional governments
promoted the idea and exerted their power in prudent way. "The
central government only produces a grand design, while the
regional governments have the full authority to make the
necessary policies and implement them," Rachmat said before more
than a thousand delegates from 43 countries taking part in the
Lake Toba Summit in North Sumatra.

The constant calls for sustainable development in Indonesia by
environmentalists were necessary, as the idea had long been
ignored by regional governments, he said.

Since regional autonomy was implemented, numerous
environmental problems had emerged in many regions because many
regional heads did not take environmental factors into
consideration.

"Many regional administrations have given forestry concessions
to pulp mills or converted areas into plantations to improve
their revenue, damaging the ecosystem and endangering protected
rare species. And consequently, natural disasters (floods and
landslides caused by erosion) have been inevitable and claimed
more human lives."

The minister said the regions should learn from the frequent
landslides and floods in Sumatra and Java, which continually
occurred because the government and people there neglected
sustainable development.

Meanwhile, former environment minister Emil Salim, said the
Lake Toba Summit was worthwhile as a strategic forum for
participants from developed and developing countries to share
their experiences.

"This international conference is quite strategic and follows
up on ideas raised in the World Summit on Sustainable Development
in Johannesburg, South Africa, in September, 2002.

"Overseeing social, economic and environmental development
should no longer be limited to national governments and
international institutions such as the World Bank and the
International Monetary Fund (IMF). The main stake holders in the
sustainable development are local administrations, businessmen,
nongovernmental organizations, workers, women and peasants," he
said.

Emil said regional administrations, especially delegates from
Aceh and North Sumatra should cooperate with counterparts from
developed countries in Europe, North America and Asia to learn
how to empower farmers, forest dwellers, workers, environmental
agencies and businesspeople to minimize any damage to the
environment.

"Regental and municipal administrations in Aceh and North
Sumatra should learn more from delegates from Japan and Australia
who have many experiences in handling tsunamis, typhoons and
hurricanes. They should empower all vulnerable groups, including
the poor, women and children, to develop a healthy environment,"
he said.

East Timor President Xanana Gusmao said he paid great
attention to the summit because East Timor, a young and tiny
country, wanted to exchange information from Indonesia and other
participants on how to implement sustainable development.

Riau Governor Rusli Zainal and Papua Governor Jaap Salossa
said strong law enforcement and consistency were badly needed to
minimize the impact of development on the environment.