Why Indonesia is right to seek a low-carbon future for the sake of its economy, and people
- The government is blazing a trail for other emerging economies with its recognition of the adverse health, financial and environmental impact of high carbon emissions, and its new plan charting a course towards sustainability
Change is the defining characteristic of our time. Some change is tangible and measurable, like technological advances, shifting employment and labour patterns, and the impacts of climate change. Other change, like shifting social and power structures, less so.
Geopolitics is also changing. Some developed countries that once took responsibilities and shaped the agenda have been turned inwards by retroactive forces. While others, particularly emerging economies, are writing new development stories for themselves, setting examples and drawing the world’s interest as they go.
But Indonesia’s economic success has come at significant cost to the environment and public health. Largely built on fossil fuels and unsustainable land use practices, Indonesia’s high-carbon-growth path has led to a 54 per cent increase in greenhouse gas emissions since 2000, making it the fourth-largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world. And, shockingly, in 2010 almost 60 per cent of Jakarta’s population suffered from air-pollution-related diseases, adding up to a total cost of US$54 billion.