Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Indonesia’s Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas) unveiled a new book titled “The Current Status of Indonesia’s Biodiversity: Sumatra and Sulawesi Ecoregions” at Jakarta on Tuesday (August 19).
“The launch of this document marks an important first step toward building a comprehensive integration of biodiversity data,” said Rachmat Pambudy, Minister of National Development Planning and head of Bappenas.
The document is a joint effort between Bappenas, the Ministry of Environment, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), and other stakeholders. Pambudy noted that protecting Indonesia’s vast natural wealth requires collective action, given the country’s rich biodiversity is increasingly under threat from environmental degradation and the potential extinction of species.
“Biodiversity is not only about conservation. It is also about economic growth, about life, and about humanity,” he said. “Through this publication, we aim to safeguard our megabiodiversity so it can be passed down not only to Indonesians but also to the global community.”
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Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said the launch also serves as an instruction from Bappenas to begin drafting new regulations to strengthen and manage Indonesia’s natural resources.
“Follow-up measures will likely include government regulations, presidential decrees, and eventually ministerial regulations, with the Ministry of Environment tasked as the lead agency,” Hanif said.
Meanwhile, Laksana Tri Handoko, head of BRIN, said the agency stands ready to support conservation efforts while enhancing the utility and sustainable use of Indonesia’s biodiversity.
“This is for the future of our economy, one that will be more reliant on renewable, locally sourced, and greener natural resources,” he said.
(Raidi/Agung)
