Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesian Minister of Environment Moh Jumhur Hidayat emphasized the need for collective responsibility to tackle pollution and climate change at the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) Environment Ministers’ Meeting.
On the occasion, he expressed criticism and concern that several developed countries with large economies are withdrawing from their collective responsibility to address pollution and climate change despite remaining the largest contributors to global emissions.
“Therefore, Indonesia views climate adaptation as not a secondary agenda. It is a key pillar of sustainable development and a safeguard for our national prosperity. We have implemented the 2026-2030 National Adaptation Plan as a roadmap towards a climate-resilient Indonesia and as support for the vision of a Golden Indonesia 2045,” Hidayat remarked in a statement on Wednesday.
The BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting took place in New Delhi, India, on Tuesday (August 18).
In a high-level plenary session attended by 10 of the 11 BRICS member countries, Indonesia emphasized that ecosystem protection and climate resilience are essential priorities that require collective action, particularly among frontline archipelagic nations.
With more than 17,000 islands and 60 percent of the population living in coastal areas, Hidayat conveyed that the threat of sea-level rise and extreme weather in Indonesia has become a threat to development and pushes vulnerable groups into poverty.
Speaking to the global delegation, he highlighted three pillars of Indonesian tradition that have demonstrated their resilience in preserving the balance of nature, namely the Subak irrigation system in Bali for integrated water management, Sasi Lompa in Maluku as an instrument for sustainable marine conservation, and Awig-Awig as a customary law system.
“These practices show that living in harmony with nature is not only part of our cultural heritage but also a powerful means of strengthening climate adaptation and resilience, particularly by promoting community-based approaches to managing water, ecosystems, and natural resources amid climate impacts,” Hidayat stated.
According to him, these models highlight the potential of living in harmony with nature as a tool for global climate adaptation.
The minister then drew attention to the role of BRICS in making global environmental governance more inclusive and effective by creating space for local wisdom to contribute to efforts to mitigate and address increasingly complex environmental challenges.
Indonesia also stressed the need to safeguard both terrestrial and marine biodiversity as a foundation for healthy ecosystems, climate resilience, and sustainable long-term growth.
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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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