Enviro News Asia, Surabaya – Indonesian Vice Minister of Environment and Vice Head of the Environmental Control Agency (KLH/BPLH), Diaz Hendropriyono, urged international students to adopt more sustainable lifestyles by reducing consumerism as part of efforts to protect the environment.
Speaking virtually at the opening of the 6th Summer School on Resilient Futures: Multidisciplinary Strategies for Climate Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction at Universitas Airlangga, Diaz encouraged students to make environmentally responsible choices in their daily lives.
The program brought together postgraduate students from various countries, including Afghanistan, Egypt, India, Italy, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Taiwan, Uganda, and several others.
Diaz advised students to maximize the use of public transportation, prioritize locally produced goods to reduce emissions from logistics, and avoid excessive consumption, emphasizing that higher consumption inevitably generates more waste and greenhouse gas emissions.
He explained that overproduction contributes not only to increased carbon emissions but also to growing waste problems, including food waste, textile waste, and single-use plastic pollution. According to Diaz, reducing unnecessary consumption is one of the simplest yet most effective ways individuals can support environmental sustainability.
The Vice Minister also highlighted Indonesia’s growing waste management challenge. He noted that only about 25 percent of the country’s annual waste is properly managed, while the remainder is largely disposed of in landfills without adequate sorting or treatment.
He warned that accumulating waste in landfills increases the risk of fires, particularly as the El Niño phenomenon is expected to reach its peak between August and September, creating drier conditions that heighten fire hazards.
During his address, Diaz also encouraged participants to reflect on the fundamental relationship between humanity and nature, particularly the critical role of rivers in the development of civilization.
He pointed out that many rivers are now heavily polluted due to inadequate waste management practices, underscoring the urgent need to improve environmental stewardship and waste management systems.
The Vice Minister emphasized that protecting rivers and reducing waste are essential steps toward building more resilient communities capable of addressing the growing impacts of climate change and environmental degradation. (*)
