Indonesia needs state policy outlines (PPHN) to address a myriad of climate change-induced problems, People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) chairman Bambang Soesatyo has said.
“Various countries such as Singapore have a national consensus serving as the basis for planning until the next 100 years to mitigate climate change,” he said in a written statement released here on Friday.
He made the remarks after receiving the executive board of the Indonesian Muslim Students Association (KAMMI) at the office of the Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian Motor Association. Climate change has had a major impact on human life, leading to changes in the planting seasons, rainfall and causing widespread droughts and heatwaves, he said.
“Not only Indonesia but also the rest of the world is facing challenges due to climate change. The challenges cannot be resolved only in one or two terms of government,” he pointed out.
To address climate change, alleviate poverty, get out of the foreign debt trap, and face other national problems, Indonesia needs state policy outlines for guiding national development as well as ensuring sustainable national development, Soesatyo said. According to him, state policy outlines will create harmony and synergy between the central and regional governments in implementing development programs and avoiding the potential for inefficient management of state budget funds due to differences in orientation and development priorities.
“In looking at MPR’s plan to present state policy outlines, let us not merely see the pros and cons. Let us sit together to find the best possible way for the Indonesian nation to have state policy outlines to plan development until the next 20 to 30 years. If an amendment to the Constitution is believed to pave the way, the granting of authority to MPR to decide the state policy outlines can be done by consensus,” he said.
“It turns out that the issue of air pollution and climate change makes it to top eight issues about which younger generations are worried too much. This suggests that the younger generation cares for climate change, he added.
Source: Antara News