Behind The Smog Swallowing Jakarta

The city of Jakarta, as the capital city of Indonesia, is again caught in the spotlight due to the threat of air pollution. Heavy traffic and industrial activity have created a thick layer of smog (smoke fog) that hangs over the city's sky, negatively impacting its residents.

The smog that covers the city gives the impression that Jakarta is struggling to breathe. However, this smog is actually an accumulation of increasingly severe air pollution. The health and comfort of residents are threatened by this real problem.

Organizations such as IQAir and the Air Quality Index (AQI) report data indicating poor air quality in Jakarta. In August 2023, IQAir named Jakarta as one of the cities with the worst air quality in the world. The AQI index also confirms that the level of air pollution in Jakarta has exceeded the safe threshold. These two data sets clearly highlight that this problem can no longer be ignored.

Based on research by the DKI Jakarta Province Environment Agency (DLH), in 2020, the transportation sector is the biggest contributor to air pollution in Jakarta, reaching 67.04 percent. The industry contributes around 26.8 percent, while power plants are only 5.7 percent.

It makes sense because data from Metro Jaya Police records that there will be 23 million two- and four-wheeled vehicles in 2023. Every year there is an increase in the number of vehicles by 2-3 percent.

Air pollution is not only a health threat, it has impacts that go beyond what is seen as smog. President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) himself was confirmed to have had a cough for four weeks due to air pollution in Jakarta. The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, revealed that unhealthy and poor-quality air had an impact on the President's health condition.

The government is trying to overcome this problem by taking concrete steps. Efforts include creating artificial rain to reduce carbon emissions in the atmosphere. This step was taken by the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Kemenko Marves) as part of efforts to overcome this problem. The Ministry of Home Affairs appealed to regional heads in Jabodetabek to apply 50 percent WFH for their ASN.

In addition, the government through the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) is taking action. The Ministry of Environment and Forestry stopped the activities of several companies contributing to air pollution in the Jabodetabek area in an effort to reduce emissions and air pollution in the area.

Overcoming air pollution in Jakarta is a shared responsibility. This problem is not new and has been going on for years. There must be supervision. But solutions do not only depend on government and industry but also require active participation from society. Reducing industrial emissions, promoting green transportation, and protecting the environment are important steps to restore good air quality. Environmentally friendly technology can also be a solution.

It takes seriousness to deal with this problem. Don't let it be like last June, when the Acting (Pj) Governor of DKI Jakarta, Heru Budi Hartono, issued a statement that could not be taken seriously, and even tended to tickle. His statement that the best solution to dealing with air pollution in Jakarta is "just blow the air" is inappropriate for a leader. In dealing with this serious problem, we need leaders who are responsive and responsible.