Enviro News Asia, Jakarta – Minister of Environment Hanif Faisol Nurofiq emphasized the importance of concrete action in lake preservation, not only for the 15 designated priority lakes but also for other major lakes across Indonesia.
“World Lake Day should not remain a mere ceremony but must become a collective movement to save our lakes,” Hanif stressed during the World Lake Day commemoration in Jakarta on Wednesday (October 1, 2025).
Hanif highlighted the gap between administrative data and the on-ground condition of priority lakes that still face severe degradation. He cited the Mahakam Cascade in East Kalimantan, where the dolphin habitat is disrupted by barge traffic, yet remains hopeful through local community and youth initiatives.
World Lake Day was first proposed by Indonesia at the 10th World Water Forum in Bali (2024) and later adopted by the United Nations. The commemoration is reinforced by UNEA Resolution 6/14 on Sustainable Lake Management and Presidential Decree No. 60/2021 on the rescue of 15 priority lakes.
The government ensures that its preservation strategy is science-based, including controlling floating net cages, enforcing pollution laws, applying ecohydrology, and advancing green financing through the national budget, BPDLH, and carbon offset schemes. Public participation is also encouraged through the Lake Clean-Up Movement and Lake Adoption Program.
At the global level, Indonesia has proposed the establishment of a Regional Coordination Center for Sustainable Lake Management in Asia-Pacific during the 20th World Lake Conference in Brisbane.
The momentum of World Lake Day serves as a reminder that lakes are the heart of ecosystems. Indonesia invites all stakeholders to safeguard their sustainability so their benefits can endure for generations to come. (*)
