Largest From Coastal And Sea, Potential Economic Losses Due To Climate Change Can Reach Rp544 Trillion

Screenshot of the Director of the Environment of the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas Medrilzam. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Environmental Director of the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas Medrilzam said that Indonesia's potential economic losses due to climate change could reach Rp544 trillion during 2020 to 2024. Moreover, if there is no policy intervention.

"We see the potential hazards that exist and after being calculated and evaluated the potential economic losses reach Rp544 trillion," he said in Media Briefing: Measuring The Progress of Low Carbon and Green Economy, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, August 9.

Medril said Indonesia's potential economic loss of Rp544 trillion covers four sectors, namely coastal and marine Rp408 trillion, water Rp26 trillion, agriculture Rp78 trillion and health Rp31 trillion.

In Indonesia itself, there has been an increase in the intensity of hydrometeorological disasters, reaching 5,402 events only throughout 2021. Of the 5,402 natural disasters occurring last year, 98 percent to 99 percent of them were hydrometeorological disasters.

According to Medril, this climate change must be addressed immediately through various climate resilience policies which are considered to be able to avoid the economic potential of Rp.281.9 trillion until 2024. Moreover, both Indonesia and globally currently have a triple planetary crisis, namely climate change, pollution and loss of diversity. that will threaten the future of the earth and humans.

Based on data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2022, the climate change crisis threatens about 50 percent to 75 percent of the global population by 2,100.

Then based on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2022, air pollution has been named the largest cause of disease and premature death in the world, with 4.2 million deaths every year.

Meanwhile, based on the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) 2019, the loss of biodiversity can threaten human health and ecosystem services.

There are currently about 1 million plant and animal species facing the threat of extinction. "While we are experiencing three major threats and there is also COVID-19, this creates a setback for our development even though we already have Vision 2045. We want to be on par with other developed countries," said Medril.