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The National Development Planning Ministry highlighted an improving trend in Indonesia's green economy performance, albeit improvements were still needed in terms of its environmental aspects.

"The trend is improving. However, what (aspects) are improving, since the indicators are a composite of economic, social, and environmental aspects, and it turns out that what had been improving are the composite of economic and social indexes. The environment ranked the lowest," Medrilzam, the environmental director at the National Development Planning Ministry, delivered the statement during the Think Climate Change Indonesia Forum Dialogue accessed here on Thursday.

Indonesia's green economic performance during the 2011-2020 period showed a composite score of 59.17 in 2020. Economic performance indicators were shown to be the most progressive, with the score increasing, from 34 in 2011 to 74 in 2020.

Medrilzam also showed four other indicators -- forest cover, managed waste, industrial labor productivity, and life expectancy -- that scored very well, capped above 75.

The environmental aspect scored the lowest composite index of all, mostly due to the low share of new and renewable energy and the rate of degraded peatlands.

The results showed that several measures had to be taken to improve the performance of environmental indicators.

"Although recently it has improved somewhat, it is clear that a lot of efforts are still needed," he highlighted.

He brought attention to the notion that developing an economy through low-carbon and climate-resilient improvement presented several challenges and opportunities.

The opportunities included the huge investment, technology transfer and innovation, energy transition strategies, and preparation towards green jobs.

Concurrently, there were opportunities in creating green jobs, decarbonizing urban areas, and regulating carbon trading.  (Antaranews)

The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing received an additional budget of Rp5.1 trillion (US$341.7 million) for the development of basic infrastructure in the new capital Nusantara this year.

The additional budget will be allocated to directorate generals of the ministry directly involved in the new capital development, Minister Basuki Hadimuljono stated during a working meeting with the House of Representatives' (DPR RI's) Commission V observed by online means here, Thursday.

Hadimuljono remarked that the Directorate General of Human Settlements will receive Rp2.36 trillion (US$158.1 million) for the development of water purification installation, wastewater and waste management installations, and the construction of principal government buildings, such as the presidential and vice presidential offices, coordinating ministry offices, and the National Axis landmark.

Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Public Highways will receive Rp2.11 trillion (US$141.3 million) to develop the new capital's work and logistics roads, central government core region roads, road expansion, and construct new bridges, toll roads and bypass roads, and piers, the minister remarked.

The Directorate General of Housing will receive Rp480 billion (US$32.1 million) to develop official residences and dwellings for construction workers, he remarked.

"Later, construction workers will stay in flats that we develop, so they need not construct a makeshift accommodation near the construction site," Hadimuljono explained.

He noted that the Directorate General of Water Resources will also receive Rp110 billion (US$7.3 million) for development of the Sanggai River watershed flood control, SepakuSemoi Dam, retention basins in the capital's central government core region, and the intake of Sepaku River.

The minister remarked that the Directorate General of Construction Development will receive Rp4 billion (US$268 thousand) for the procurement of products and services and the development of human resources in the development of the new capital.

Earlier, Hadimuljono confirmed that the ministry will train 1,565 workers in North Penajam Paser, East Kalimantan, ahead of the groundbreaking for construction of the state palace in the new capital Nusantara.

"Next Saturday (August 27), we will provide training to 1,565 workers in Sepaku Semoi. It is not for outsiders, but it is only local residents that we will train as consultants and construction experts," he stated during his visit to the Beautiful Indonesia Miniature Park to observe the progress in revitalization on Tuesday (August 23).  (Antaranews)

Ministers responsible for forestry from APEC members are pressing for deeper cooperation to curb deforestation and further biodiversity loss as the region steps up its fight against climate change and advances action for sustainable future.

APEC economies account for more than 50 percent of the global forest areas, 60 percent of global wood products and 80 percent of global trade in forest products, as noted in a release issued by the 5th APEC Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Forestry and received here on Thursday.

APEC member economies have been working on their ambitious goal of increasing forest cover by at least 20 million hectares by 2020 across the region.

Such a goal has been achieved and exceeded, as the forest cover in APEC increased by 27.9 million hectares between 2007 and 2020.

"Although we have been able to complete our mission in 2020, still, these wake-up calls -- which include global environmental threats, particularly climate change and biodiversity loss, as well as economic and social consequences from the COVID-19 pandemic, and other global challenges -- all remain key concerns of the forest policy," Thailand’s Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Varawut Silpa-archa noted.

Minister Varawut, during his opening remarks at the APEC Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Forestry in Chiang Mai, Thailand, highlighted Thailand’s long-term strategy, the bio-circular-green (BCG) economy model, to overcome the current global threats.

The model integrates three economic approaches wherein technology and innovations are used to create value and promote sustainable business models in every sector, including forestry, without undermining the need for forest products.

He acknowledged the contribution of the APEC Experts Group on Illegal Logging and Associated Trade and urged member economies to strengthen cooperation and continue sharing information and best practices on combatting illegal logging and associated trade among APEC economies.

"As APEC is the top destination for global forest product trade and it gives the region an additional responsibility in ensuring that forests are sustainably managed," Minister Varawut stated.

"The world is currently jeopardized by the adverse impacts of climate change, and no matter where we are or who we are, we cannot escape from these impacts," he added.

APEC ministers recognized that forests play an essential role in tackling climate change, both in terms of mitigation and adaptation, especially to the process of moving towards carbon neutrality and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Hence, action is needed to maintain the forest cover and reverse forest loss, prevent forest degradation, and sustainably manage forests.

"We are increasingly made aware of the impact of extreme weather, brought about by climate change, being experienced in many parts of the world, including in our region ... drought, floods, heat waves ... these are surely mother nature’s warning to us of the cost of inaction or slow action," Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat Rebecca Sta Maria emphasized.

"It is in this context that our meeting here is of significance. Forestry, with its unique role and contribution to sustainable development, has the potential to be a leading sector in achieving green growth," she concluded. (antaranews)

The Industry Ministry pushed for digital transformation efforts through the development of the software industry.

"Programs to improve capabilities of the domestic software and content industry must be pursued and be expedited," Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita remarked in a statement on Thursday.

One of the strategic measures adopted by the ministry was to conduct technical coaching for development of the software and content industry to improve the digital economy, in which more than one thousand people participated recently.

He expressed confidence of achieving the target of US$146 billion by 2025.

“I press for application software, games, and animation to be used as products in the development of the digital economy. In addition, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry, big data, and other technologies necessary in the (development of the) digital economy, (those) need to be implemented," he explained.

At the event, member of the Indonesian House of Representatives as well as digital economy activist, Ravindra Airlangga, expressed belief that e-commerce was a sector capable of dominating digital economic growth.

By 2025, e-commerce was projected to clock a growth up to US$104 billion. In order to achieve this estimate, Indonesia needed to prepare digitally talented human resources, so that they could contribute actively.

"According to the e-Conomy SEA 2021 data, e-commerce is the driving sector that dominates growth of the digital economy. By 2025, e-commerce growth is projected to reach US$104 billion. We need to prepare digital talent human resources, so that they can contribute and not just (sit around and watch)," Airlangga added.

The director general of metal, machinery, transportation equipment, and electronics at the Industry Ministry, Taufiek Bawazier, stated that five technoparks coached by the ministry could serve as a forum for content software industry development for items, such as applications and games.

"Currently, the Industry Ministry, through the directorate general of metal, machinery, transportation equipment and electronics, will encourage development of the cybersecurity industry. It is expected that in future, Indonesia can create human resources and infrastructure pertaining to the cybersecurity industry and contribute to protecting Indonesia's cyberspace from the threat of cyberattacks," Bawazier remarked.

Member of the Indonesian Software and Telematics Association (ASPILUKI) Ashari Abidin pointed to a rapid increase in the trend of digitization in all industrial aspects.

Hence, he appealed to youths to contribute to digitalization of the industry by expressing their creativity in the form of start-ups.

"ASPILUKI is ready to accommodate young technocrats keen to establish start-ups," he remarked. (Antaranews)