UN Envoy Retno Marsudi urges integrated approach to water management
“Water never stands alone; it is a connector and enabler for many sectors,” she said at the Water Town Hall Meeting organized by the Coordinating Ministry for Infrastructure and Regional Development in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Marsudi explained that water resource management is closely linked to agriculture, health, energy, and industry.
She noted that the agricultural sector accounts for around 72 percent of global freshwater use. From a health perspective, she highlighted that approximately 1,000 children under five die each day due to contaminated water and inadequate sanitation.
In the industrial sector, Marsudi pointed to rising water demand driven by the growth of the digital economy, particularly the expansion of data centers.
According to her presentation, one megawatt of information technology (IT) load, referring to the electricity used by servers and digital devices with evaporative cooling systems, can require between 1.5 million and 3 million liters of water per month.
“Water is a key factor for the future of the economy, including the data center industry, so its management must be designed in an integrated manner from the outset,” she said.
Marsudi also underscored the global challenge of ensuring access to safe water and sanitation. Currently, about 2.2 billion people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water, while 3.5 billion people do not have adequate sanitation services.
“With such significant challenges, we can no longer work in silos. The water crisis cannot be solved alone,” she said.
She described the Water Town Hall Meeting as an important initial step to strengthen cross-sector coordination, in line with Indonesia’s efforts to promote collaboration among policymakers, academics, business actors, and civil society.
She added that the integrated approach is also a key focus ahead of the UN Water Conference scheduled for November in the United Arab Emirates, with greater emphasis on concrete actions rather than solely normative commitments.
“Strong coordination is needed so that water issues are viewed comprehensively, not only from a technical perspective, but also from social, economic, and sustainable development perspectives,” she said.
At the same event, Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) said the government is enhancing cross-sector coordination in water management as part of the Asta Cita program, particularly the pillars of food, energy, and water self-sufficiency.
“Water is a fundamental issue. Its management cannot be carried out partially or by just one ministry, because water is essential for human life, food security, energy, industry, and economic growth,” he said.
He added that the government is formulating strategic policies and measures to gradually expand access to piped clean water, improve water-use efficiency in agriculture and industry, and strengthen water control policies to mitigate hydrometeorological disaster risks in densely populated areas.
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Translator: Aria Ananda, Frishanti Octavia