ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – The Indonesian government is preparing a major program to protect Java Island from the threat of climate disasters. That program is the Great Sea Wall Project.
Spatially, Java Island is the largest contributor to Indonesia’s economic growth and has a significant contribution with a share reaching 57.12% of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
However, the island of Java itself is still faced with a number of disaster challenges such as erosion, abrasion, flooding, sea level rise, and land subsidence along the North Coast (Pantura) area of Java.
The coastal area of Pantura Java itself is inhabited by 48% of the population of Java Island with economic activities contributing 20% of national GDP.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto came directly to see up close the impact of environmental degradation and handling of tidal floods in one part of the coastal area of the North Coast (Pantura) of Java, namely in Eretan Kulon Village, Kandanghaur District.
To mitigate the risk of disasters along the Javanese Pantura coast, the Government continues to make efforts to intervene through a number of comprehensive strategic policies. One of these policies is the construction of coastal and river safety embankments as well as the construction of polder and pump systems in the northern regions of the provinces of DKI Jakarta, Banten and West Java which are also part of the National Strategic Project.
The Government is also carrying out the construction of the Major Project for Coastal Protection in 5 Javanese Pantura Cities, namely Jabodetabek, Cirebon Raya, Kedungsepur, Petanglong, andGatekertosusila, which the Government is also carrying out by providing access to piped drinking water, monitoring land subsidence and water quality, building coastal embankments, and treating waste water.
Apart from that, as a long-term solution, the Government has prepared a concept for building a Giant Sea Wall, one of which is on the Semarang – Demak Toll Road.
“The construction of the Giant Sea Wall will not only act as a protective building, but also as a means of conserving the marine environment and improving people’s lives, increasing the provision of sanitation, clean water, connectivity and accessibility, creating jobs, as well as structuring areas that are more adaptive and inclusive,” ” said Airlangga during a visit to Indramayu Regency on Wednesday, January 24 2023.
At that place, Airlangga saw directly the location of the breakwater structure and coastal embankment in Eretan Kulon Village. The embankment building is only temporary to prevent the coastline from retreating again due to abrasion.
Eretan Kulon Village itself is one of the villages that feels the direct impact of environmental degradation and climate change such as land subsidence, sea level rise and coastal erosion. Apart from that, the people of Eretan Kulon Village were also greatly affected by the tidal flood, which even reached a height of 1 meter. (AT Network)
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