Activists Suggest Special Agency That Oversees Environmental Law Violations

TheIndonesia.id - The Indonesian Forum for Environment, or Walhi, suggested the Indonesian government and lawmakers to establish a new, specialized agency that will oversee the implementation of environmental regulations as well as being responsible to handle related violations.

Besides the establishment of a special agency, Walhi also recommended the formulation of a climate change law to help authorities deal with current environmental challenges.

“If DPR [House of Representatives] aims to reduce risk of disaster in Indonesia, there are conditions: we must have climate change law and special commission of environmental and natural resource law enforcers,” executive director of Walhi Zenzi Suhadi said on Monday, May 30, as reported by Antara.

According to him, the two elements are crucial in mitigating a massive manmade disaster that has been happening all across the globe which is climate change – as well as other disasters that frequently occur in Indonesia.

“The majority of flash floods in Indonesia are caused by deforestation. DPR should review the legislative instruments that can trigger disasters,” he added.

While recognizing that Indonesia’s geographical features contribute to its great disaster-related risks, it can be minimized if good mitigation is in place.

For example, he said, infrastructural development should not be allowed in tsunami-prone areas as it might multiply the risk faced by human population.

“In the future, victims are not only caused by earthquakes, but also by wrong policies and regulations,” the director said.

Lastly, Suhadi also warned that climate change will only worsen hydrometeorological disasters in Indonesia, such as drought and forest fire, since the country is more prone to these disasters due to its archipelagic state.