INDONESIAN President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) emphasized that the world cannot effectively address climate change if countries remain driven by personal interests and egos.
He made these remarks during his opening speech for the Indonesia International Sustainability Forum (ISF) 2024 in Jakarta on Thursday (09/5), (2024).
“I want to stress that climate change will never be addressed as long as the world is fixated on economic approaches, with countries focused on profits and blinded by ego,” Jokowi stated.
He expressed his belief that the international community no longer needs warnings about the dangers of climate change or the urgency of transitioning to clean energy and sustainable practices.
According to Jokowi, the planet urgently needs strong collaboration between developed and developing nations, along with climate actions that consider humanity, ensuring the interests of economically disadvantaged people are not sacrificed.
He highlighted the green economy, noting that it is not solely about environmental protection but also involves strategies to ensure eco-friendly economic activities align with people’s welfare.
Jokowi urged the world to trust Indonesia’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions and making greater contributions to the international community.
He underscored Indonesia’s potential to generate 3,600 gigawatts of green energy and its operation of Southeast Asia’s largest and the world’s third-largest floating solar power plant at the Cirata Reservoir, with a capacity of 192 megawatts peak.
He also noted that Indonesia’s mangrove forests, covering 3.3 million hectares, the largest in the world, can absorb a significant amount of carbon emissions.
Jokowi emphasized that Indonesia’s potential can be fully realized with support from research, investment, and funding from developed countries. [antaranews]