Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia, has been suffered from annual floods due to its geographical and morphological area (Texier, 2008). In early 2021, the government of Jakarta was forced to handle the flood amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, while on the other side, the capital is the highest contributor to positive case numbers nationally (National Covid-19 Task Force, 2021). Even though there has been no scientific calculation on how both risks interact, it is not debatable that the pandemic amplifies the impact generated by the flood. For instance, people whose houses are flooded are more vulnerable to being infected by Covid-19 as they have a shortage of clean water and sanitation (Ishiwatari et al., 2020). Therefore, pandemic risk needs to be taken into account in flood risk management, those will bring Jakarta into a big catastrophe in the next pandemic. read more

The discourse surrounding green energy emerges as a response to the climate crisis, a transnational issue causing growing frustration among societies due to its disruptive effects. The predominant set of parameters for green energy implementation pertains to the utilisation of energy derived from natural resources like sunlight, wind, or water, which have minimal or no impact on the world’s carbon footprint (Kalyani et al., 2005; Berdikeeva, 2024; TWI, n.d.). While the overarching goal of this discourse is clear, its implementation is complex. Research by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (2023) indicates that achieving this energy transition would require approximately $5.8 trillion annually from 2023 to 2030 for the 48 developing economies studied, equivalent to 19% of their GDP. Beyond financial capacity, the ability to navigate the technical intricacies of transitioning from conventional to green energy is equally vital for the success of this agenda. read more

Current instability of the international situation, such as increasing tensions between the US and China, war between Ukraine and Russia, climate change, and global economic uncertainty has caused a food crisis internationally. As the fourth largest nation, with more than 280 million people, Jakarta has cautious concern over this issue. For instance, President Joko Widodo has repeatedly given speeches regarding the food crisis and is currently intensifying government attention through the rice aid program (Metriani, 2024). Responding to the concern over the food crisis, Indonesia has started to implement food estate projects in various locations to ensure the stability of the national food supply and national nutritional needs. However, several issues and critics also occur with the implementation of this project, such as environmental concerns due to deforestation and biodiversity losses (Napitupulu et al., 2021). read more

Membangun Imej Politik

Politik adalah perkara memunculkan citra atau imej yang ingin dipersepsikan oleh publik, yang mungkin berbeda dari penampakan atau watak orisinil para politisi atau partai politik. Citra ini dibentuk untuk memoles persona untuk menciptakan imej politik yang dikehendaki. Namun, argumen ini memunculkan kritik dari para ilmuwan politik karena imej politik hanya menawarkan gaya ketimbang substansi, menekankan pada persona daripada tawaran kebijakan, dan hanya memenuhi keinginan konstituen daripada menciptakan warganegara yang kritis (Scammell, 2015). Fokus pada imej juga dianggap memberi ancaman pada nilai-nilai demokrasi; imej adalah ilusi, buatan, dan manipulatif (Simons, 2006 in Scammell, 2015). Meskipun demikian, pembentukan imej masih menjadi strategi dominan yang didorong politisi atau partai politik untuk meningkatkan kansnya agar terpilih ke jabatan politik. read more

In the midst of a profound global transformation sparked by the triple disruption – the digital revolution, the COVID-19 pandemic, and climate change – Indonesia stands at the forefront, grappling with the intricate dance between climate justice and human rights under the umbrella of the Paris Agreement. This Op-Ed will explore how Indonesia must adeptly respond to the Paris Agreement in line with the current climate conditions. It underscores the notion that the Paris Agreement encompasses more than just emission reduction, as articulated by its preamble, emphasizing the imperative to “respect, promote, and consider their respective obligations on human rights.” (UNFCCC, 2015) read more

Tulisan ini bertujuan untuk menjelaskan bagaimana inovasi sosial melalui tata kelola pedesaan diterapkan dalam memanfaatkan teknologi basic, seperti internet, handphone, dan media sosial. Sasaran inovasi tersebut adalah masyarakat desa yang notabenenya dikatakan belum mampu/tertinggal dalam memanfaatkan perkembangan teknologi karena berbagai faktor seperti tidak meratanya infrastruktur, kurangnya kemampuan mengakses teknologi karena rendahnya pendapatan, kurangnya literasi dan kemampuan digital, hingga penolakan terhadap teknologi (Dihni, 2022; Hadi, 2018; Oktavianoor et al., 2020). read more

Indonesia, known for its vast nickel deposits, is poised to become a major player in the global battery industry. Nonetheless, a pivotal choice looms on the horizon —one that could lead the country down a path of sustainability or prosperity. As many scientists have advocated for a shift towards greener living, electric vehicles (EVs) are gaining traction as one of the solutions to a green lifestyle. Indonesia was distributing 81,525 units of EVs by 2023 (Ika, 2023), a significant increase from previous years. Meanwhile, the number of electric motorcycles alone surged 13-fold from 2020 to 2023 (Annur, 2023). read more

As Gen-Z – a generation born between 1997-2012 – the author sees how international relations interactions have changed, including diplomacy. d’Hooghe (2015, in Furrer, 2020) describes two models of public diplomacy; the “state-centered”, which is often represented by the official state delegations, and the “network-based”, which also involves various non-state actors to encourage dialogue and collaboration between states. Nations need to combine the two models of public diplomacy to promote images, build relationships, and engage audiences. The categorization of d’Hooge’s public diplomacy sees soft power, such as media, events, human resources, and publications/promotions, as instruments of public diplomacy. Nye (2004, in Furrer, 2020) describes soft power as an ability to cooperate instead of coercion. Soft-powered public diplomacy can be accomplished through esports diplomacy. read more

Kondisi ekonomi Indonesia saat ini tengah berada dalam situasi yang vital sekaligus strategis. Setelah terguncang oleh krisis finansial Asia (krismon) pada akhir dekade 1990-an, Indonesia mampu mencapai pertumbuhan ekonomi yang stabil dalam dua dekade setelahnya. Krismon membuat pertumbuhan ekonomi Indonesia mengalami minus 13,1% pada tahun 1998 padahal pada tahun 1995 pertumbuhan ekonomi mencapai 8,2% (Bank Dunia, 2023). Kemudian, berdasarkan data juga yang dihimpun dari Bank Dunia (2023), Indonesia mengalami fase stabilitas selama dua dekade dengan pertumbuhan ekonomi berturut-turut mencapai 5,7% (2005), 6,2% (2010), 4,9% (2015) dan 5,3% (2022). Situasi menjadi strategis karena Indonesia mencanangkan untuk dapat mencapai status sebagai negara berpendapatan tinggi pada tahun 2045. read more

Berbagai upaya mitigasi dampak buruk dari perubahan iklim dan pemanasan global utamanya sangat bergantung pada keberhasilan pengendalian emisi karbon. Pajak lingkungan, dalam hal ini, dapat menjadi jawaban atas permasalahan tersebut. Diadopsi pertama kali pada tahun 1970-an oleh negara-negara OECD, pajak lingkungan dianggap sebagai instrumen ekonomi dengan potensi pengendalian emisi karbon yang relatif hemat biaya dan efisien untuk memerangi perubahan iklim (Baranzini et al., 2016; He et al., 2023). Selama hampir enam dekade semenjak pertama kali digunakan, pajak lingkungan memiliki jejak secara signifikan untuk memperbaiki kualitas ekosistem. Menggunakan data dari negara-negara OECD dari tahun 2005 – 2019, penelitian He dkk. (2023) menunjukkan bahwa penarikan pajak lingkungan telah berhasil mengurangi frekuensi anomali suhu dan emisi karbon per kapita yang berdampak pada perlambatan proses perubahan iklim. Doğan dkk. (2022) juga mencermati bahwa di negara-negara G7, penerapan pajak terhadap emisi karbon dapat secara signifikan mengurangi jumlah emisi dan secara bersamaan mendorong transisi penggunaan energi terbarukan. Namun demikian, meskipun pajak lingkungan sudah sangat populer dan diterapkan di banyak pemerintahan negara-negara Utara, nyatanya penggunaan pajak ini untuk memerangi masalah perubahan iklim masih dalam tahap embrionik di negara Selatan. Skema pajak lingkungan sendiri pada dasarnya dapat disesuaikan dengan kebutuhan dan kondisi domestik masing-masing negara. Akan tetapi, situasi di banyak negara berkembang membuat upaya penerapan pajak lingkungan ini seringkali menemui resistensi sosial dan politik. read more