Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – Environmental experts gathered here Saturday to discuss continuing environmental degradation resulting from economic and population growth.
Association of Indonesian Environmental Experts chairman Hasroel Thayib warned that the country was facing more natural disasters as a result of poor environmental management in the past.
"Let's study the roots (of the disasters) planted 40 years ago and try to seek solutions to mitigate the likely serious consequences in the future," Hasroel said.
"It is not the right time for us to blame one another... Perhaps, we are all guilty in this case." Over 300 environmental experts from provinces across the country took part in the association's first-ever congress, with the main items of business being to elect a new chairman and formulate work programs.
The association was set up in 2005 with 600 members, including academics, government officials and activists.
State Minister for the Environment Rachmat Witoelar and environment guru Emil Salim also attended the congress. Emil served as environment minister for three consecutive periods from 1978 until 1993 during the presidency of Soeharto.
In his speech, Emil blamed environmental degradation on sectoral egoism at the governmental level and politicians with short-term goals focused on economic growth.
"In a conventional economic system, companies do not pay for pollution," he said. "Thus, a strong commitment from environmental experts is crucial to achieving sustainable development."
Emil, who is now an environmental advisor to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, identified at least three crucial problems facing the environment.
First was the significant rise in the number of people migrating to Java, the country's most populated island, where 65 percent of the urban population is young, he explained.
He said that the booming economies of China and India, as well as the ASEAN free market, would be another challenge for Indonesia's development program in the 2009 to 2030 period.
Meanwhile, global warming, triggering warmer temperatures and a rise in sea level, would pose a massive threat to the environment, he stressed.
Emil, who will chair the Indonesian delegation to the upcoming climate change conference in Bali, said Indonesia needed to promote sustainable development that integrated economic, social and environmental considerations.
Meanwhile, Minister Rachmat admitted that the state of the environment was critical, causing huge damage to the country's ecology, as well as economic problems.
"Environmental degradation has even caused social problems, such as poverty and increased risk of health problems and the emergence of plant diseases," he said.
He said sustainable development should focus on pro-growth, pro-poor and pro-employment programs.
"I hope the experts will give voice to environmental interests and come up with scientific solutions for environment-related problems," Rachmat said.