JAKARTA - The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, asked the government to act quickly to respond to the news regarding the membership of the Toba Kaldera Geopark which is threatened with being revoked as a member of UNESCO Global Geopark (UGGP).
He reminded UNESCO's 'yellow card' against the status of the largest lake in Indonesia is serious.
"The DPR reminds firmly all stakeholders, both at the central and regional levels, to immediately take concrete and coordinated steps to save the status of the UNESCO Global Geopark (UGGP) Kaldera Toba, which is now in danger of being revoked," said Puan Maharani, Thursday, May 22.
The threat of the revocation of the membership status of Geopark Kaldera Toba as a member of UNESCO Global Geopark (UGGP) occurred after two years of improvement given by UNESCO was not optimally utilized by the management.
The Indonesian Geopark Study Center stated that the remaining time for repairing Kaldera Toba in North Sumatra was only one month before the UNESCO assessor team arrived to re-evaluate in June 2025.
Kaldera Toba itself officially became a member of UGGp on July 7, 2020 at the 209th Session of the UNESCO Executive Council in Paris. This membership should be able to strengthen geopark-based development which includes three main pillars, namely empowerment of local communities, education, and conservation.
However, since being given a warning or 'yellow card' by UNESCO in September 2023, four important recommendations have not been implemented optimally.
The four recommendations include increasing research-based educational activities, revitalization and optimization of the management body, implementing management training to understand global geopark principles, and increasing visibility through gate construction, monuments, and interpretation panels.
According to Puan, the 'yellow card' warning from UNESCO since September 2023 is an unusual signal. He emphasized that Toba's Geopark status is not just an international label, but is a reflection of the nation's commitment to maintaining ecology, culture, and sustainable development.
"In addition to being a challenge, this warning from UNESCO also tests our seriousness in maintaining an invaluable world heritage," said Puan.
"If UGGp's status is revoked, this is not only an administrative failure, but a crushing blow to our credibility as a country that makes tourism a national strategic sector," he continued.
Puan then highlighted the importance of accelerating the revision of Presidential Regulation Number 9 of 2019 so that it is in line with the latest institutional nomenclature. He considered that cross-sector coordination is still not optimal because the legal framework has not been updated.
"This is a serious matter, don't get held hostage by bureaucratic inconsistency," said Puan.
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Puan asked the North Sumatra Provincial Government and the Kaldera Toba Geopark Management Agency not to work half-heartedly. Puan appealed to all relevant parties to do maximum work on the four main recommendations of UNESCO.
"UNESCO recommendations must be carried out in a measured, transparent and accountable manner," said Puan.
Puan also ensured that the DPR fully supports all interventions carried out to maintain Kaldera Toba's membership status at UNESCO. He believes that all Indonesian people will also support efforts to defend Kaldera Toba in order to continue to get global recognition.
"Toba is one of Indonesia's faces in the eyes of the world. If we fail to protect it, then what is at stake is not only the status of geoparks, but also our global reputation in sustainable tourism management," said Puan.
With Indonesia's position as one of the countries with the most geopark potential in the world, Puan assessed that losing the status of UGGp Kaldera Toba would be a bad precedent. He also emphasized that the DPR RI is ready to encourage cross-commission discussions to oversee the acceleration of improvement, including from the regulatory side, budget, to supervision.
"This is no longer just a matter for North Sumatra, this is a national matter. We must not lose by administrative negligence. Kaldera Toba must be saved now, not later," concluded Puan.
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