Antara, Jakarta – Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan claimed that the country managed to reduce plastic waste that flows into the sea by up to 27 percent.
He made the statement in his opening speech at the Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum in Jakarta, on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. The forum discussed plastic waste in the sea as one of the main focuses.
Luhut hoped that in the next three years, Indonesia can process nearly 30,000 tons of waste per day throughout the archipelago. With a number of initiatives emerging in the forum, he believed this will be an extraordinary step for Indonesia to maintain a clean sea from the trash.
"This will make Indonesia the leading country in cleaning the sea," Luhut remarked.
The government is currently conducting mangrove restoration of up to 600,000 hectares. At least 400,000 hectares of mangrove land have been replanted. This Luhut argued, will also set a good example for fellow island nations, especially countries in the Pacific which might be affected by a 1.5-degree hike in earth's temperature that leads to rising sea levels.