UI and UGM Strengthen Diplomacy at Global Climate Conference in Japan

Climate diplomacy for Indonesia received a boost on the international stage through the participation of academics from Universitas Indonesia (UI) and Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) at the Weather & Climate Forecast Conference (WCFC) 2026 in Tokyo, Japan. The head of the UI research team, Prof. Jatna Supriatna, stated in Jakarta on Wednesday that the Indonesian delegation used the global forum to present several strategic studies related to hydrometeorological disaster mitigation and energy transition. The international conference, initiated by Weathernews International and the WxBunka Foundation on 17 June 2026, focused primarily on the implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to strengthen early warning systems and climate resilience in the Asian region. “UI’s research highlighted the impact of Cyclone Senyar at the end of 2025, which triggered major floods and landslides in Sumatra and threatened the habitat of the endemic Tapanuli orangutan,” Jatna said. Beyond biodiversity issues, the Head of the Applied Sciences Institute (LTS) at Universitas Indonesia, Eko Waludi, presented the functional potential of AI in supporting national energy efficiency, renewable energy development, and carbon emission reduction to pursue the net zero emission target. Meanwhile, the UGM delegation, led by Prof. Agus Maryono, introduced research based on machine learning and Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) to project hydrometeorological disaster risks and community-based climate adaptation in Yogyakarta. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) also strengthened the Indonesian delegation by outlining a roadmap for international cooperation to reinforce early warning systems in the Asia-Pacific region. The participation of UI, UGM, and BMKG in WCFC 2026 was considered an important momentum for strengthening Indonesia’s scientific diplomacy while opening up wider opportunities for cooperation with global research institutions, universities, and technology companies in developing AI-based climate technology and early warning systems. WxBunka Foundation Director General Chihito Kusabiraki appreciated the quality of the research presented by the Indonesian delegation and expressed hope for realising the programme, noting Indonesia’s strategic position in developing regional collaboration in the fields of weather, climate, and disaster mitigation.