Low Carbon Development
Development Indonesia has achieved significant progress over the last several years, marked by improving economic growth of 5.2 percent in the first half of 2018, poverty rate that continued to decline to 9.82 percent (March, 2018), and reduction in inequality as measured by the improvement in the Gini ratio which reached 0.389 (March, 2018).
However, we must not be satisfied with these achievements because in the long run we will still face various development challenges. As we understand, so far Indonesia\'s development still depends on the exploitation of resources that are not sustainable and have not taken into account the factors or costs of environmental damage in determining economic growth.
As an illustration, land and forest fires, which were triggered by the El Nino climate condition in 2015, actually forced Indonesia to suffer losses of Rp 221 trillion (World Bank, 2016), increased incidence of respiratory diseases, destroyed biodiversity, and increased carbon emissions and greenhouse gases (GHG).
Therefore, in the long run a development approach that is supported by three pillars is required, namely economic -- social -- environmental sustainability. In other words, we need an inclusive economic growth that guarantees fairness, alleviates people from poverty, and maintains the availability of natural resources and environmental sustainability.
The development approach is sustainable development that meets all the needs of the present without sacrificing the fulfillment of development needs for future generations (Brundtland Report, 1987).
One of the efforts to achieve sustainable development is through low carbon development. As is understood, carbon emissions into the atmosphere can trigger climate anomalies or extreme climates such as El Nino in 2015 that make Indonesia vulnerable to negative impacts of climate change such as forest fires.
Basis for RPJMN
The National Development Planning Ministry/Bappenas has launched the direction of Low Carbon Development as the basis for the preparation of the 2020-2024 National Medium Term Development Plan (RPJMN). Launched in 2017 at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP-23 UNFCCC), Indonesia\'s low carbon development is expected to become a new platform for Indonesia\'s development. On this platform, development policies in various fields seek co-benefits in the form of emission reduction.
This policy meets 13 objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is in line with Presidential Regulation No. 59 of 2017 on the Implementation of Achieving Sustainable Development. The low carbon development is also intended to support a green investment climate or an environmentally sound investment. Furthermore, the low carbon development intends to make Indonesia an integral part and even the leader of international efforts to realize low-carbon
development. In that connection, the strategic role of the National Development Planning Ministry/Bappenas is to ensure the mainstreaming and integrate climate change issues into national development planning, both in the long-term, medium-term development plans and their instructions in the Government Work Plan.
Since 2010, the National Development Planning Ministry/Bappenas through the RAN-GRK Secretariat (National Action Plan for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions) has encouraged active involvement of ministries and agencies, local governments, and related parties to coordinate the implementation of GHG emission reduction commitments by 26 percent in 2020 through Presidential Regulation No. 61 of 2011 on RAN-GRK.
The implementation of RAN-GRK is supported by the regional governments through 34 governor regulations/decisions on the Regional Action Plans for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions (RAD-GRK).
Coordination, partnerships and synergies in low carbon development
Now, the National Development Planning Ministry/Bappenas is developing a Strategic Environmental Assessment, which is attached to the 2020-2024 RPJMN and at the same time guiding the Sustainable Development Goals in 2030. This study is a series of dynamic modeling to integrate the concept of sustainability into policies, plans and programs of development. The Strategic Environmental Assessment will show trade-offs and synergies between economic growth, reduction in poverty rate and GHG emission reductions to achieve optimal development policy choices.
In the Strategic Environmental Assessment, the concept of carrying capacity and the carrying capacity of natural resources and environmental sustainability, including emissions, land coverage and water, are the determining factors in the formulation of policies and target of Indonesia’s low carbon development.
The improvement of the policies and implementation of the low carbon development is not only the duty of one ministry/institution. The low carbon development requires the involvement of all stakeholders so that coordination, partnership and synergies between various parties are absolute, among the government, private-industry, and society.
The achievement of the low carbon development also requires high quality research and studies to produce science-based policies. In this context, the triple helix concept in which the government, private sector, and universities work together is badly needed to create creative strategies and seek innovations to increase economic growth and reduce GHG emissions.
The National Development Planning Ministry/Bappenas is expected to be a system integrator and enabler of the efforts of various stakeholders, who are committed in the low carbon development. The examples are the partnership project of UNDP-GEF, Baznas, Jambi Bank, Jambi Regional Government, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, and National Development Planning Ministry/Bappenas, which are realized through the construction of the Micro Hydro Power Plant in Lubuk Bangkar village, Sarolangun regency, Jambi.
This partnership scheme manages to provide electricity supply to four remote villages in Jambi: Lubuk Bangkar village, Ngaol village, Air Liki village, and Liki Baru village. The micro hydro power plant project has a capacity of 210 kW, which serves 806 households and other public buildings, such as schools,
mosques, village offices, integrated health service posts (posyandu). Especially in Lubuk Bangkar, the electricity is enjoyed for the first time after 73 years of independent Indonesia.
The micro hydro power plant project is proof that through partnerships, coordination and synergy, low-carbon development has successfully integrated aspects of environmental sustainability (renewable and low carbon energy), social development (health and education), and economic empowerment of local communities. This partnership is one of the many examples that we have and can be further encouraged. They are evidence that the goal of low-carbon development is not impossible to achieve. Bambang SP Brodjonegoro, National Development Planning Minister/Head of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas)