Jumhur Hidayat: Sea Barriers are Useless without Changes in Behavior on Land

SEMARANG - Environment Minister (LH) Jumhur Hidayat said the construction of a giant sea embankment to prevent erosion and damage from waves. on the north coast of Java Island will be useless if it is not balanced with behavioral changes on land.

"If there is no change in behavior, for example, not managing groundwater, then the embankment will also sink at the same time," said Minister of LH Jumhur Hidayat while giving a public lecture at Sultan Agung University, Semarang, Central Java, Tuesday, as reported by Antara.

He said the giant sea embankment was important, but not the only solution to tackle the threat of erosion and damage from ocean waves.

In the near future, he continued, a Minister of Environment Regulation will be issued regulating water cultivation. "Rules on how to extract groundwater. How to return the water taken into the ground," said Jumhur Hidayat.

According to him, the regulation will regulate the obligation of how to return the water taken back into the ground. In addition, he encourages coastal area restoration through mangrove planting.

Jumhur Hidayat said that the performance of the sea embankment must be combined with the existence of mangrove plants. "Mangroves can work beyond the ability of concrete. In addition, it also provides a habitat for fish," he said.

Another thing that is no less important, according to him, is that adaptive policies should not become maladaptive that impoverishes the people around them.

"Make sure this policy is through a study. In addition, social acceptance is an absolute requirement," said Minister of LH Jumhur Hidayat.