In addition, as a country with a vast tropical forest compared to other countries, Indonesia can serve as a concrete example of balancing forest sustainability and development.
By
kompas editor
·3 minutes read
BPMI SEKRETARIAT PRESIDEN
President Joko Widodo emphasized Indonesia's commitment to addressing climate change during a speech at the World Leaders Summit on Climate Change or COP26, Monday (1/11/2021) Scottish Event Campus, Glasgow, Scotland.
Never before in history has the human race faced its greatest existential threat like it is today. In addition to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Earth is also threatened by climate change.
If human beings fail to cope with the global warming that has resulted from uncontrolled carbon emissions, massive disasters will occur everywhere. Floods, droughts, and submerged islands from rising sea levels have forcibly displaced tens or even hundreds of millions of people worldwide.
Do not imagine that when disaster comes, politics will immediately show a friendly face to establish solidarity and quickly raise aid for millions of refugees from severely affected areas. David Wallace-Wells in his book, The Uninhabitable Earth, describes that extreme right politics grew in Europe “only because of” 1 million Syrian refugees in 2015. In other words, we cannot imagine what kind of extreme political trends will emerge when tens of millions of refugees fleeing drought and floods seek more inhabitable areas. A violent clash of culture and politics will be inevitable.
That grim picture is just the beginning. When disaster grows worse, it is not impossible for Earth to face its sixth mass extinction. There have been five mass extinctions throughout Earth's billion-year history. More than 80 percent of species on the planet have died in every mass extinction.
Amid this situation, Indonesia has now taken leadership of the G20, the Group of 20 representing the major economies in the world. These countries contribute crucially in directing the global effort to avoid major disasters caused by climate change. Indonesia's ideas and initiatives will also influence how these countries remain committed and consistent to their carbon emission reduction goals, including financial cooperation.
AP PHOTO/ALBERTO PEZZALI
People hold up placards as they demonstrate in front of the Standard and Chartered Bank during a climate protest in London, England, Friday, Oct. 29, 2021. People were protesting in London ahead of the 26th U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP26), which starts Sunday in Glasgow, Scotland.
In addition, as a country with a vast tropical forest compared to other countries, Indonesia can serve as a concrete example of balancing forest sustainability and development. Its success in achieving the lowest rate of deforestation in the last 20 years is also valuable capital for Indonesia to be a leader in preventing major disasters due to climate change. Of course, Indonesia must be consistent in continuing to improve in implementing regulations on climate mitigation and adaptation.
Further, we should encourage transition in transportation as soon as possible towards more environmentally friendly modes.
But there will be many challenges. Indonesia's energy sector, for example, still relies heavily on fossil fuels. A detailed plan for transitioning to the use of clean energy and implementing it needs to be strengthened with creative means of sourcing funds. Further, we should encourage transition in transportation as soon as possible towards more environmentally friendly modes.
The success of Indonesia, with its population of 270 million people, in realizing all transitioning processes will be a valuable contribution to the world. It will also place Indonesia as a pioneer and leader in preventing disasters caused by climate change.
(This article was translated byHendarsyah Tarmizi).
