Overcoming Jakarta's Air Carbon Pollution, Gobel Group Intensifies Tree Planting Action With Emil Salim Institute And Muara Angke's Mangrove Community

Photo: Special

Air pollution has become a major concern for the people of Jakarta and has a negative impact on the health and quality of life of citizens. Quoting from the IQAir page on August 16, the US Air Quality Index (AQI US) or the air quality index in Jakarta was recorded at 156, which places Jakarta as the fourth city with unhealthy air quality in the world.

The decline in air quality and soaring levels of pollution have sparked an urgent need for concrete action to address this issue. In a press statement in the discussion of the Merdeka Barat 9 Forum, on August 9, Jakarta Governor Heru Budi Hartono conveyed the importance of planting trees as a form of solution in overcoming this problem.

In response to this situation, as well as in order to enliven the 78th Anniversary of Indonesian Independence, the Gobel Group was represented by Mr. Widyastama Nugraha as Director of Panasonic Gobel Life Solutions Indonesia with its subsidiaries and the Muara Angke Mangrove Community (KOMMA) and the Emil Salim Institute to organize tree planting activities in the North Coast Mangrove Forest area of Jakarta, Thursday 17 August. With the increase in the number of trees, hopes for fresher and cleaner air will become more real, as well as creating a greener and more comfortable environment for residents of the city.

Former Minister of the Environment of the Republic of Indonesia and program supervisor Emil Salim Institute, Emil Salim explained, his party always said that planting trees also means planting new lives for the next generation.

"With track record considerations in encouraging a healthier lifestyle and environment, we appreciate the Gobel Group for contributing to this initiative. Hopefully this can be the first step towards Indonesia's Lestariya in 2045 when Indonesia celebrates its 100 Independence Years and the following years," Emil said, quoted on Friday, August 25.

Mangrove trees are believed to have great benefits in overcoming air pollution. Based on research published by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) in 2012, existing data shows that mangrove forests are one of the richest forests of carbon content in the tropics, with a carbon amount of about 1023 Mg per hectare.

A similar study was also conducted by researchers from the United States at the 2022 Marine Ecology Progress Series publication. Citing research adapted through an article on COMPASS.id, the results also prove the extraordinary ability of mangroves to store carbon from Earth's atmosphere for thousands of years.

President Director & Group CEO of PT Gobel International, totaling S. Thaib said, in accordance with the company's value to be useful for the community, his party felt responsible for the surrounding environment where we operate.

"Pagar planting is one of the effective ways to reduce air pollution and improve the quality of the air we sustain every day," he explained.

In addition to aiming to overcome the challenges of air pollution that threaten environmental quality in Jakarta, this activity is also a Gobel Group initiative with its subsidiaries, namely PT Gobel International, PT Gotrans Logistic International, PT Gobel Dharma Nusantara, PT Gobel Dharma Karya Sarana, PT Panasonic Life Solutions Manufacturing and Sales, PT Panasonic Gobel Indonesia, PT Panasonic Gobel Energy Indonesia, and PT Panasonic Manufacturing Indonesia to help preserve nature in urban areas through the revitalization of mangrove forests.

Mangroves act as natural bulwarks that protect urban areas from natural disasters such as flooding, coastal erosion, and storms. Complex mangrove roots help keep soil and sand bound, thereby reducing the risk of erosion and coastal abrasion.

The North Coast area of Jakarta, which has been designated as a strategic area of DKI Jakarta, stretches along 32 km and has an important role as an entry gate from the sea. This area includes various community activities and development, including vital objects. The revitalization of mangrove forests on the north coast of DKI Jakarta aims to create a sustainable development model, by integrating these principles in the management of mangrove forest spaces and empowering coastal communities.

"In an era where climate change and the environment are increasingly pressing global issues, concrete steps like this prove that the private sector can become an integral part of efforts to maintain environmental sustainability. This is a form of the principle of the Gobel Group company, namely to contribute to the progress and welfare of society and the country. We hope that joint efforts in overcoming air pollution in Jakarta will have a significant positive impact on society and future generations," concluded Rachmat Gobel, Chairman and Shareholder Gobel Group.