Local Governments Asked to Be Creative in Mitigating Climate Change

All local governments in Indonesia must be creative in mitigating disasters due to climate change.

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

Local government officials scrambled to shake hands with Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian after the commemoration ceremony of the 28th Regional Autonomy Day at the Surabaya City Hall in East Java on Thursday (April 25, 2024). The theme of the commemoration was Sustainable Regional Autonomy Towards a Green Economy and Healthy Environment.

SURABAYA, KOMPAS — Regional governments are asked to be more creative when carrying out climate change mitigation. The effects of a humanitarian disaster triggered by an increase in vulnerable carbon emissions are far greater than the Covid-19 pandemic.

Carbon emissions trigger greenhouse gas effects, a 2-degree Celsius temperature increase, melting of the North and South Poles, rising sea levels that threaten to submerge islands, land, cities, and even countries. Together with hydrometeorological disasters, such as floods, landslides, as well as the El Nino and La Nina phenomena, their presence brings suffering to humans.

"That drove the Paris Agreement 2015 to save the world," said the Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian during the Commemoration of the 28th Anniversary of Regional Autonomy in 2024 at Taman Surya Balai Kota Surabaya, East Java, on Thursday (25/4/2024). The event adopted the theme "Sustainable Regional Autonomy Towards Green Economy and Healthy Environment."

Also read: Climate Change Could Cut One-Fifth of World Income

The Paris Agreement is an international treaty on climate change mitigation, adaptation and finance. A total of 196 state entities and international institutions have signed the agreement document.

The Paris Agreement continued as the Kyoto Protocol, which is also a treaty to extend the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The world agreed to reduce emissions by 50 percent by 2030 so that global temperature rise can be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

In that context and referring to the theme, according to Tito, local governments need to realize disaster mitigation creatively. Apart from continuing to explore the potential for local original income in the use of natural and human resources and carefully preparing the APBD, its implementation must be environmentally friendly, healthy and sustainable.

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

A dark cloud is visible from Petra Christian University, Surabaya, on Wednesday (21/2/2024). The potential for flood and tornado disasters still appears to be high in several regions in East Java.

In addition, he hopes that the creativity is based on local wisdom because each region has a different character. "To achieve the main goal of regional autonomy as mandated by the 1945 Constitution, namely welfare and democracy, we should not keep adding new autonomous regions," said Tito.

However, Tito warns that local governments should not be impulsive or rash in following emission reduction policies. For example, rushing to adopt environmentally friendly policies using new energy sources based on electricity, solar energy, wind, and batteries without adequate infrastructure and facilities for new energy.

"Changing too quickly without adapting can trigger greenflation, an increase in the prices of goods and services," said Tito.

In fact, controlling inflation is an essential policy for regional governments to ensure the basic survival of citizens, namely food, clothing and shelter (shelter). Apart from that, alleviating people from poverty, hunger, malnutrition, stunting and unemployment.

Also read: Achieving the Goal of Regional Autonomy requires Cooperation and Partnership

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian has awarded the Satyalancana Karya Bhakti Praja Nugraha medal to the Mayor of Medan, Bobby Nasution, during a ceremony commemorating the 28th anniversary of regional autonomy at Surabaya City Hall, East Java, on Thursday (25/4/2024). The theme of the commemoration of Regional Autonomy Day is Sustainable Regional Autonomy Towards a Green Economy and Healthy Environment.

Appreciation

The warning serves as a moment of reflection, evaluation, introspection, and appreciation for the implementation of regional autonomy within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. In the context of appreciation, President Joko Widodo awarded the Satyalancana Karya Bhakti Praja Nugraha medal of honor to 14 regional heads for their great service or high performing achievements in the governance based on performance evaluation in 2022 and 2023.

The recipients are Governor of East Java 2019-2024, Khofifah Indar Parawansa, Mayor of Surabaya, Eri Cahyadi, Regent of Banyuwangi, Ipuk Fiestiandani, and Regent of Bojonegoro 2018-2023, Anna Mu'awanah. In addition, there are Mayor of Medan, Bobby A Nasution, Mayor of Denpasar, I Gusti Ngurah Jaya Negara, and Regent of Wonogiri, Joko Sutopo.

Additionally, elected officials such as Sutedjo, the Regent of Kulon Progo 2017-2022; Syafrudin, the Mayor of Serang 2018-2023; Dony Achmad Munir, the Regent of Sumedang 2018-2023; and Kery Saiful Konggoasa, the Regent of Konawe 2018-2023, received the award. Achmad Fikry, the Regent of South Hulu Sungai 2018-2023, Bima Arya Sugiarto, the Mayor of Bogor 2019-2024, and I Nyoman Giri Prasta, the Regent of Badung 2021-2024, also received the award.

Also read: Regional Autonomy: Dependence on Transfers from the Center Still High

In addition, the Ministry of Home Affairs also awards appreciation certificates to 5 provinces, 10 cities, and 14 districts that have achieved high performance status in terms of scores in local government administration. Assessment is not just carried out by the Ministry of Home Affairs, but also by a number of trusted ministries, agencies, and organizations that cannot be intervened by local governments.

The provinces with the highest scores are East Java with a score of 3,697, Central Java (3,679), DKI Jakarta (3,656), West Java (3,648), and Yogyakarta Special Region (3,535). The top ten cities are Surabaya (3,586), Surakarta (3,571), Makassar (3,566), Tangerang (3,532), Semarang (3,525), Medan (3,509), Palembang (3,454), Samarinda (3,452), Metro (3,446), and Denpasar (3,443).

The districts that received awards are Banyuwangi (3.8118), Wonogiri (3.6171), Bojonegoro (3.5793), Indramayu (3.5426), Sumedang (3.5391), Badung (3.5103), and Bantaeng (3.5088). In addition, there are Dharmasraya (3.5036), Wonosobo (3.5035), Banyumas (3.5032), Hulu Sungai Selatan (3.5029), Konawe (3.5027), Lamongan (3.5018), and Klaten (3.4976).

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

Rainwater puddles during the 28th Regional Autonomy Day ceremony at Surabaya City Hall, East Java, on Thursday (25/4/2024). The commemoration of Regional Autonomy Day's raised theme is Sustainable Regional Autonomy Towards Green Economy and a Healthy Environment. The ceremony, attended by the Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, awarded honors of Satyalancana Karya Bhakti Praja Nugraha to 14 regional heads.

Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi expressed his gratitude to the community and officials for the city being awarded. However, this does not mean that the work is finished but rather serves as a challenge for the government to continue serving the people.

"There is still big work to do, namely alleviating stunting, poverty, handling floods, and ensuring that residents are not left behind in basic services," said Eri.