By Nissa Cita
The Government of Indonesia (GOI) is committed to supporting a green economy and, through the WAVES initiative, is ready to measure its natural wealth and to consider the contribution of its environmental assets and activities to the economy. To discuss the implementation of the WAVES program in the future, Indonesia-WAVES (I-WAVES) and its partner agencies conducted a Steering Committee Meeting at the Mandarin Hotel in Jakarta on 8th May 2018. The meeting was led by Arifin Rudiyanto, the Deputy of Maritime and Natural Resources of the Ministry of National Development Planning (BAPPENAS), and the Chair of the WAVES national Steering Committee.
In his opening remarks, Rudiyanto noted that the government wants to ensure that Indonesia’s future National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) reflects green growth approach. “This means that Indonesia’s next RPJMN would promote more environmental aspects,” said Rudiyanto. He also expressed hope that the WAVES program’s preliminary results will be available by July 2018, to be included in discussion around the RPJMN 2020 – 2024.
The participants at the Steering Committee meeting endorsed the initiative’s work plan for 2018-2019, and discussed related issues and activities such as developing accounts, technical reviews, dissemination, capacity building, communication, and community outreach. The meeting also focused on issues such as data exchange mechanisms and protocols, data accessibility and methodology, data definition, as well as the flow of data and information among data custodians and key agencies in developing natural capital accounts and policy analysis. I-WAVES is required to publish a white paper addressing these issues, to be used as a guideline at national as well as sub-national levels.
In line with this objective, Dr. Medrilzam, the Head of SISNERLING Coordinating Team and the Director of Environment for Bappenas, stressed the strategic role of the Steering Committee in facilitating and strengthening existing coordination among key stakeholders.
The I-WAVES work plan for 2018-2019 covers three blocks of work: data, policy, and engagement. The work plan was not only endorsed by the Steering Committee during the meeting on 8th May, but subsequently endorsed by representatives of BAPPENAS, Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency (BPS), and the Ministry of Finance at a wrap-up meeting of the I-WAVES Technical Committee on 9th May 2018.