Enviro News Asia, South Tangerang — Indonesia expanded its national collaboration on environmental governance as the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the Ministry of Environment (KLH), and the Geospatial Information Agency (BIG) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) during the Environmental Governance Coordination Meeting in South Tangerang on 25 November 2025. The agreement establishes long-term cooperation in the provision and use of environmental, spatial, meteorological, climatological, and geophysical data.
BMKG Head Teuku Faisal Fathani stated that the MoU represents a significant step in unifying data and analytical capabilities across government institutions. He emphasized that BMKG’s role extends beyond providing weather forecasts, early warnings, and earthquake information. The agency manages decades-long climate and weather datasets critical for strategic sectors, including agriculture, energy, health, and infrastructure—from rainfall and soil moisture data for planting seasons to solar radiation and wind patterns for renewable energy planning.
BMKG also supports national water resource management through weather modification operations, assisting with reservoir filling during dry seasons, reducing fire risks, and mitigating landslide hazards. In the health sector, BMKG collaborates with the Ministry of Health to forecast dengue fever risks based on climatic indicators, currently implemented in Jakarta, Bali, and Yogyakarta.
Faisal stressed that stronger interagency collaboration is essential for improving climate and disaster risk assessments. He cited the West Java Provincial Government’s allocation of regional funding to build a new weather radar in the Bandung Basin as evidence of growing regional awareness about the importance of meteorological data.
BIG Head Muhammad Aris Marfai highlighted that harmonizing national spatial data is crucial for preventing policy overlap. BIG provides Indonesia’s base geospatial information, while ministries and agencies produce thematic maps such as mangrove maps, drought maps, and seismic hazard maps. He noted that overlapping land-use classifications in forests, mining areas, and mangrove zones remain common, requiring stronger data integration to address these issues systematically.
Minister of Environment Hanif Faisol Nurofiq noted that KLH requires extensive support for spatial data management because the number of functional mapping personnel remains limited. He underscored the need for interoperability with BMKG, especially in managing peat hydrological areas where soil moisture levels serve as key indicators of fire risk.
Hanif affirmed that the MoU marks a pivotal moment in strengthening national environmental governance, with the expectation that integrated data systems will enhance planning, pollution control, and climate risk analysis across Indonesia. (*)
