Pantura Threatened To Sink, Coordinating Minister Airlangga: Jakarta Has The Potential To Lose IDR 10 Trillion

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto. (Photo: Aris Nurjani/VOI)

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto revealed that returning to Java faces tough challenges in terms of carrying capacity and capacity, including the threat of erosion, abrasion, flooding, land subsidence/land subsidence along the North Coast (Pantura) area of Java.

As for the land subsidence in Pantura, Java, it was observed that it varied between 1.25 centimeters (cm) per year, on the other hand, the threat that was also awaited, namely sea level rise of 1-15 cm per year in several locations and the phenomenon of Rob floods.

Airlangga said that the threat of Land Subsidence and the phenomenon of Rob floods that occurred in the Pantura Java area not only endangered the sustainability of economic activity and national economic infrastructure assets in the region, but also the lives of millions of people living in the region that could potentially be affected by disasters.

According to Airlangga, as a result, Indonesia has the potential to experience economic losses due to tidal flooding.

Especially in the coastal area of Jakarta, which will suffer a loss of IDR 2.1 trillion per year, and potentially increase to IDR 10 trillion in the next 10 years.

"The estimated direct economic loss due to annual flooding on the Jakarta Coast reaches IDR 2.1 trillion per year and can continue to increase every year to reach IDR 10 trillion per year in the next 10 years," said Airlangga in the Java Island Area Protection Strategy, through the Development of Beach Embankments and Sea Embankments (Giant Sea Wall) at the Grand Ballroom Hotel Kempinski Jakarta, Wednesday, January 10.

Airlangga added that indirect economic losses and the potential loss of opportunities (opportunity cost) will greatly double the number of direct losses.

According to Airlangga, the potential loss will increase because of the many state economic assets in the northern coastal area. Among them, five agglomeration areas such as Jabodetabek, Cirebon Raya, Pekalongan Raya, Kedung Sepur, and Gerbangkertosusila.

In addition, it is estimated that there are at least 70 Industrial Estates, 5 Special Economic Zones (SEZs), 28 Industrial Design Areas (KPI), 5 Industrial Growth Center Areas (WPPIs), and other economic areas that will be affected if the handling of relegation problems in Pantura Java is not handled properly.

"In addition, the Pantura area of Java is also a fairly dense residential area, with an estimated population of more than 50 million people," he said.

Airlangga said the government would build the Construction of the Pantai Embankment and Sea Embankment (Giant Sea Wall) in the northern region of Java Island, from west to east.

"So that by launching today, maybe this will become an integrated system from west to east. Then, of course, this project is very necessary, and we will discuss the details of funding today," said Airlangga.