Why is Indonesia moving its capital from Jakarta to Borneo?

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Jakarta is congested, polluted, earthquake prone and rapidly sinking into the Java Sea. Now the government is in the process of withdrawing, moving the capital of Indonesia to the island of Borneo.

Indonesian officials say the new metropolis will be a “sustainable forest city” that puts the environment at the center of development and aims to be carbon neutral by 2045.

But environmentalists warn that the capital will cause massive deforestation, endanger the habitat of endangered species such as orangutans and endanger the homes of indigenous communities.

Although access to the grounds of the new capital is usually limited, the Associated Press was allowed to tour parts of the facility in early March to see construction progress.

Here’s a look at why the capital is moving, the government’s plans, and why activists are worried about how it will affect the environment, endangered species, and indigenous communities near the project site.

WHY IS INDONESIA REMOVING ITS CAPITAL?

About 10 million people live in Jakarta, and three times more than in a large metropolitan area. It has been called the fastest sinking city in the world and at the current rate it is estimated that by 2050 one third of the city could be flooded. The main reason is uncontrolled abstraction of groundwater, but the situation is exacerbated by the rise of the Java Sea due to climate change.

Its air and groundwater are heavily polluted, it regularly floods, and its streets are so congested that congestion is estimated to cost the economy $4.5 billion a year.

President Joko Widodo sees the construction of a new capital as a panacea for the problems plaguing Jakarta, reducing its population while allowing the country to start over with a “sustainable city”.

WHAT WILL THE NEW CAPITAL BE?

Widodo’s plan to create the city of Nusantara – an old Javanese term meaning “archipelago” – involves building government buildings and housing from scratch. Initial estimates suggest that more than 1.5 million civil servants will be transferred to the city, about 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles) northeast of Jakarta, although ministries and government agencies are still working on the final number.

Bambang Susantono, head of the National Capital Authority of Nusantara, said the new capital will apply the concept of a “forest city” with 65% of the area reclaimed.

The opening of the city is expected to take place on August 17 next year, which will coincide with Indonesian Independence Day. However, authorities in the new capital have said that the final stages of the city’s construction will likely not be completed until 2045, which marks the country’s centenary.

WHY ARE ENVIRONMENTALISTS CONCERNED?

Skeptics, however, are worried about the environmental impact of building a 256,000-hectare (990-square-mile) big city in Borneo’s East Kalimantan province, home to orangutans, leopards and a host of other wildlife.

Forest Watch Indonesia, an Indonesian non-governmental organization that monitors forestry issues, warned in a November 2022 report that most forest areas in the new capital are “production forests”, meaning that forestry and mining permits could be issued. leading to further deforestation. . The report states that so far there has been no certainty regarding the protection status of the remaining natural forests in the area of ​​the new capital.

An analysis of the AP data also showed that more days of extreme heat could be expected in the region in the coming years.

HOW DOES IT AFFECT INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES?

At least five villages with over 100 indigenous baliks are being relocated due to construction, and more villages are expected to be uprooted as the construction site expands.

The government said the new capital received support from local community leaders and provided compensation to people whose land is being used to build the city.

But Sibukdin, an indigenous leader who, like many in the country, only uses one name and lives in Sepaku, an area very close to the construction site, said community members were forced to take the money the government offered them, not knowing as compensation. calculated or if it was fair, he said.

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AP photographer Ahmad Ibrahim and videographer Fadlan Siam contributed to this report from East Kalimantan, Indonesia.

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The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. Learn more about the AP Climate Initiative here. AP is solely responsible for all content.

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