Grace N. Chandra, Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said the capital would abide by the Central Jakarta District Court's landmark decision that finds him and the country's top officials guilty of negligence for air pollution in Jakarta.

"Today, the Central Jakarta District Court decided in favor of Koalisi Ibu Kota's lawsuit regarding air pollution. The Jakarta Provincial Government has decided not to appeal," said Anies on his official Twitter account on Thursday.

"The Provincial Government is ready to implement the court's decision for better Jakarta air," Anies continued in his Tweet.

Gerakan Inisiatif Bersihkan Udara Koalisi Semesta (Ibu Kota), a Jakarta residents group, filed the lawsuit on July 4, 2019, motivated by their assessment about worsening air quality in Jakarta.

The suit targeted top officials, including President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, environment and forestry, home affairs minister, and health minister. The Banten and West Java governors were also defendants in this case.

The Central Jakarta District Court found that the defendants violated an article in the 2009 Law about Environmental Protection and Management. Each was sentenced to improve air quality, with different tasks relating to their roles within government.

President Joko Widodo was sentenced to establish a national air quality standard for human health, including the immunocompromised, the environment, and ecosystems based on scientific and technological developments.

The Minister of Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya Bakar, was sentenced to supervise Jakarta, Banten, and West Java in conducting an inventory of cross-border emissions throughout the three regions.

Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian was sentenced to supervise Anies Baswedan in combatting air pollution.

The court also told Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin to track negative health impacts due to air pollution in Jakarta. This shall be the basis of consideration for Governor Anies's task of formulating strategies to combat air pollution.

Lastly, the judges sentenced Anies to ensure compliance and impose sanctions on any party environmental laws or regulations.

The court also ordered Anies to publish evaluations and impose sanctions related to air pollution control to the public. In addition, he was sentenced to establish regional air quality standards for Jakarta that are safe for human health, the environment, and its ecosystems.

The judge also asked all the defendants to determine regional air quality yearly, make the information public, and implement a strategic air pollution control action plan by considering the distribution of emission sources involving public organizations.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/jakarta-to-comply-with-court-decision-on-air-pollutio