Sustainable development starts with you and me Lim Huy Ming  ;   The writer, a Malaysian, was a medical student in Jakarta

JAKARTA POST,  14 Desember 2014

                                                                                                                       

Jan. 17, 2013, was a memorable day. As I was about to leave for hospital early in the morning to begin another ordinary day as a medical student, heavy rains deluged much of Jakarta. For two hours I waded through murky flood waters to reach the hospital completely drenched, only to find out that activities were canceled as doctors and patients were stranded at home. The hospital was flooded. Traffic was gridlocked outside the hospital. The city of 14 million people was inundated and paralyzed. That was the worst flood in my several years in Jakarta. With nearly 40 percent of Jakarta’s land area lying below sea level, inhabitants of the city are no strangers to the phenomenon of flooding, now inseparable from the monsoon rains. I was back in my hometown in Malaysia for a semester break when the worst flooding in the modern history of Jakarta hit the city in 2007. The massive flooding displaced nearly half a million people and caused up to US$967 million in damages. In consideration of the devastating consequences of flooding, the Jakarta government has put flood mitigation near the top of its agenda. In 2014, Rp 5.1 trillion was allocated for flood prevention alone. Many projects are now underway to tackle the problem of perennial flooding, including waterway dredging, rehabilitation of floodways and retention basins, land acquisition and relocation of illegal settlers from riverbanks. However, the flood problem cannot be solved by the city administration alone. The flooding phenomenon in Jakarta is a result of unsustainable human practices carried out by the government, businesses, communities and individuals. One example is the excessive extraction of groundwater, which results in rapid land subsidence in Jakarta. The city is estimated to be sinking at a rate of 10 to 30 centimeters per year, making the low-lying city even more susceptible to flooding. In addition to land subsidence, Jakarta faces challenges imposed by anthropogenic climate change and a resultant rise in sea levels. Scientists estimate that half of Jakarta will be submerged under sea water by the end of the century if the current rate of global warming continues. As well as being victims of global warming, Jakartans also contribute to the rise of atmospheric temperature. Nearly 9.9 million vehicles take to the capital’s streets each day, emitting the greenhouse gases that are the primary contributors to climate change. The problem is further aggravated by the addition of more than 1,000 new vehicles each day and the resulting traffic congestion. Waterways and floodgates clogged with garbage, which increase the risk of flooding, are common sights in Jakarta. Much of the 6,500 tons of solid waste produced daily by the city’s households ends up being tossed directly or washed into rivers. The illegal disposal of trash is further compounded by the citizens’ preference for goods sold in small quantities, such as sachets of shampoo just big enough for a single use. Not only is the sheer amount of trash increased many-fold, the non-biodegradable plastic wrapping of these goods is, in itself, a threat to the ecosystem. Rains and floods also expose the problem of poverty in Jakarta. The poor are disproportionately affected by the floods, living in flood-prone slum areas and having no resources to help them prepare for and recover from floods. Additionally, “umbrella children”, or “ojek payung”, flock the streets in every tropical downpour, even during school hours, escorting people to waiting taxis or nearby buildings for a tiny income. This is of great concern, as clear linkages exist between education, poverty reduction and sustainability. Flood mitigation cannot be achieved by government efforts alone. We, the citizens of Jakarta, should assume the responsibility of creating a more sustainable environment. Carpooling, use of public transportation, responsible disposal of waste, recycling and refusing the service of “umbrella children” during school hours are all simple measures each of us could take to help mitigate the risk of floods in Jakarta. While the relative contribution of each individual action is tiny, a flood-free Jakarta is not impossible if all of us could engage ourselves in actionable changes. Verily, sustainable development starts with you and me. ●