VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - National Development Planning (Bappenas) Minister Suharso Monoarfa invited Indonesians to start adopting sustainable living to help achieve targets outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

According to the United Nations' Environment Programme (UNEP), people can adopt such a way of living by being aware that their lifestyle choices could impact the world while actively finding ways to help everyone live a better life.

"I believe we should start aligning our lifestyles with the sustainable development goals. We can start with ourselves before inviting other people, our families (to do the same)," he stated at a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Minister Monoarfa made the statement while attending the launch event of the Green Economy and Green Environment campaign that was held in collaboration with transportation company PT Mass Rapid Transit Jakarta.

As part of the world's population, Indonesians should partake in the collective efforts in saving the Earth from the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution, and loss of global biodiversity by preserving the environment in Indonesia, he emphasized.

He urged the people to actively reduce pollution and waste in their environments.

The minister reiterated that the COVID-19 pandemic had hindered several countries, including Indonesia, in their efforts to achieve the 169 targets encapsulated in the 17 SDGs. Hence, he pushed Indonesian people to invest even greater efforts to achieve the targets by 2030.

"We want to regain the pace and contribute to the global efforts in reaching the 17 goals," he affirmed.

As the national coordinator for SDGs, Bappenas launched the Green Economy and Green Environment campaign, with the aim of attracting more people to switch to means of public transport, such as MRT, so they can contribute actively to the efforts to realize SDGs.

To implement the campaign, Bappenas will display videos in several spots at MRT stations that invite people to use MRT as a contribution to reduce air pollution, especially in Jakarta.

"I am very happy that today, we initiated (the campaign) in MRT, an instrument of the government for reducing pollution and resolving traffic congestion issues in Jakarta," he remarked.

He then expressed hope that more people would opt for public transport as their main means of transportation.

"The government will continue to promote (the use of public transport) and make significant efforts to provide the people with better public transportation," the Bappenas head stated. (Antaranews)