M. Faiz Zaki, Jakarta – Muhammad Aminullah, a campaigner at Walhi (Indonesian Forum for the Environment) Jakarta, said there are six major environmental issues that require resolution by the future Jakartan governor and deputy governor. The gubernatorial candidates for the upcoming regional election, however, only cover about half of these problems.

"This will be the basis for assessing the extent of Jakarta's regional candidates' (environmental) commitment going forward," said Aminullah in a press conference via the YouTube channel Pulihkan Jakarta on Monday, October 28, 2024.

The six major environmental problems include environmental degradation; climate crisis and energy transition; coastal and small island management; waste management; spatial planning; and land disputes, as well as the right to clean water.

The abovementioned issues are part of a larger conversation comprising 13 pressing environmental issues, including: air pollution; groundwater pollution; surface water pollution; waste management; climate crisis mitigation and adaptation; energy transition; the privatization of small islands; damage to marine and coastal ecosystems; environmental conflicts; lack of green open spaces; land subsidence; lack of water absorption; as well as the right to clean water.

According to Aminullah, the Jakarta gubernatorial candidates only discuss five problems out of these, namely air pollution, lack of green open spaces, waste management, climate crisis mitigation and adaptation, and lack of water absorption. "While some issues are mentioned, the discussion is unclear and inconcrete," he said, adding that they tend to be jargonistic.

Ridwan Kamil-Suswono

According to Walhi Jakarta, Jakarta's number 1 gubernatorial pairing, Ridwan Kamil and Suswono Aminullah, aims to tackle air pollution, waste management, climate crisis mitigation and adaptation, lack of green open spaces, and lack of water absorption.

However, there's no mention of viable programs to handle groundwater pollution, surface water pollution, energy transition, privatization of small islands, damage to marine and coastal ecosystems, environmental conflicts, or land subsidence.

Dharma Pongrekun-Kun Wardana Abyoto

Walhi Jakarta said the number 2 pairing intends to handle air pollution, lack of green open spaces, and lack of water absorption. Dharma-Kun, however, has no programs for handling groundwater pollution, surface water pollution, climate crisis mitigation and adaptation, energy transition, privatization of small islands, damage to marine and coastal ecosystems, environmental conflicts, or land subsidence.

The environmental group also considers the gubernatorial pairing's waste management and right to clean water programs to have unclear implementation.

Pramono Anung-Rano Karno

Pramono Anung and Rano Karno, the third and final gubernatorial candidate pair in the upcoming Jakarta election, have plans for air pollution and a lack of green spaces in the region.

Meanwhile, Walhi Jakarta said the pair has no proposed programs for groundwater pollution, surface water pollution, climate adaptation and mitigation, energy transition, privatization of small islands, damage to marine and coastal ecosystems, environmental conflicts, land subsidence, and lack of water absorption.

Similar to the previous pairings, waste management and the right to clean water are proposed without any concrete implementation plan.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1934417/jakarta-election-walhi-queries-candidates-environmental-commitmen