Prabowo’s big chance to be a global green leader
Indonesia entered a bold new era with the October 20 inauguration of President Prabowo Subianto.
The leader’s ascent, rooted in a military career as a special forces commander, embodies a deep commitment to national sovereignty. But in a world where threats are as environmental as they are geopolitical, sovereignty must evolve beyond traditional defense.
So will Prabowo’s Indonesia, the world’s fourth-most populous nation and a vital maritime axis, merely drift with the currents of global change or will it seize the helm and steer toward more assertive environmental leadership and sustainable prosperity?
Indonesia’s vast archipelago loses an estimated US$4 billion annually due to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, accounting for about 17% of global IUU fishing losses. It’s a crisis that depletes marine biodiversity and jeopardizes the livelihoods of over 2.6 million Indonesians in the fisheries sector.
As the nation’s maritime wealth is stolen, impinged on by illegal fishing boats including from China, the impacts are being felt in terms of economic potential and food security.
To reverse this tide, Indonesia must embrace advanced maritime surveillance and stringent enforcement, as demonstrated by Norway’s success in curbing illegal fishing. By adopting cutting-edge technologies like satellite monitoring and automated identification systems, Indonesia can reclaim control over its rich marine territories.
Strengthening legal frameworks and fostering regional cooperation through ASEAN will further amplify these efforts, positioning Indonesia as a guardian of marine resources and reinforcing sovereignty in a tangible way.
Simultaneously, Indonesia’s pursuit of economic growth through industrial downstreaming