Enviro News Asia, North Tapanuli — Indonesia’s Vice Minister of Environment and Vice Head of the Environmental Control Agency, Diaz Hendropriyono, stressed that environmental restoration has become an absolute requirement for human survival, as oxygen is a fundamental human need. He delivered the statement on January 11, 2026, during a mass tree-planting initiative in North Tapanuli Regency, North Sumatra.
The statement was made while appreciating an initiative led by Presidential Special Envoy Hashim Djojohadikusumo, who mobilized the Gerakan Kristen Indonesia Raya and local communities to plant one million tree seedlings at the HKBP Jetun Silangit Youth Settlement Complex.
During his address, Diaz highlighted that each human requires approximately 0.5 kilograms of oxygen per day, while a single tree can produce up to 1.2 kilograms of oxygen daily. He emphasized that this ratio demonstrates humanity’s direct dependence on forest ecosystems and that tree planting represents a concrete response to the global climate crisis.
Diaz stated that humans must coexist with trees and encouraged every individual to plant at least one tree as a moral and ecological responsibility. He described tree planting as a reflection of humanity’s commitment to preserving life-supporting ecosystems.
Climate change impacts formed the broader context of the initiative. Hashim Djojohadikusumo explained that Indonesia continues to suffer disproportionately from climate change, despite contributing far lower carbon emissions than developed countries. He noted that average annual emissions per capita in Indonesia stand at about three tons, compared to approximately 13 tons in developed nations.
The tree-planting program also aimed to mitigate hydrometeorological disasters. North Tapanuli serves as an upstream area of the Batang Toru River Basin, making it critical for flood and landslide prevention. Recent data show forest cover in North Sumatra has declined by around 19,500 hectares over the past 15 years, intensifying disaster risks.
North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution acknowledged that recurring disasters in the province are linked to deforestation and called for collective action to protect natural ecosystems. The event was also attended by Vice Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono and Vice Minister of Forestry Rohmat Marzuki, who emphasized the importance of preserving Sumatra’s forest hydrological functions to support food security and long-term environmental sustainability. (*)
