TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Many experts projected Indonesian coastal areas (Jakarta, Semarang, and Demak) would face a serious threat on sea level hike and land subsidence due to global climate change.

They projected the water level would increase 25 to 50 centimeters in 2050, and in 2100, sea waters would inundate most areas of the coastal cities.

The deputy of social sciences and humanities of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Tri Nuke Pujiastuti, said that people living in the coastal area will be the most vulnerable group because of coastal flood and surface subsidence as well as the change in the sea environment.

“This includes loss of assets because their lands submerged permanently and result in the increase of cost for rehabilitation and migration,” said Nuke in Jakarta, Thursday, July 25.

She opined social and natural sciences have a vital role in providing solutions to deal with serious issues such as those.

The institute’s head of humanity and culture research center, Sri Sunarti Purwaningsih, seconded Nuke’s statement.

“The global rising of sea level will result in a higher cost for rehabilitation and forced migration because there is an urgent need to overcome the impact,” Sri said.

Sri explained the adaptation efforts to the global climate change implicated the environment, economy, and social. “The current adaptations more support resilience and vulnerability-based approach. There is also a controversy to develop hard infrastructures such as giant sea wall in Jakarta or integrated sea wall and toll road in Semarang and Demak,” she concluded.

ANTARA