Greenpeace Indonesia Criticizes Jakarta's Artificial Rain Agenda

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Greenpeace Indonesia criticizes Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan for his plan to create artificial rain in the nation's capital. The organization said that air pollution should be resolved by directly controlling the sources.

Greenpeace Indonesia's campaign manager for climate and energy, Bondan Ariyanu, said reducing pollution must be done with careful planning. "You have to control the source of pollution," he told Tempo on Monday, July 8.

According to a study by Breath Easy Jakarta in 2013, Bondan said, Jakarta's biggest source of pollution is vehicle emission, which accounts for 46 percent.

The second biggest source is factory chimneys with 28 percent—a number estimated to increase along with people's growing needs for factory produced items. 

The Jakarta government, he said should have made careful planning before deciding on artificial rain, as it will not instantly reduce pollution level.

"They must recalculate—how many times are they planning to do this? Imagine the cost for doing this constantly," he said.

The Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) said it would modify the weather by creating artificial rain in a bid to reduce Jakarta's air pollution. BPPT chief Hammam Riza said he had received approval from Governor Anies Baswedan to execute the plan in mid-July.

 He said that Anies requested the artificial rain is done no sooner than after July 10, and no later before school terms start.

Meanwhile, the Center for Weather Modification Technology (BBTMC) head, Tri Handoko Seto, said that all costs will be prepared by the Jakarta administration.

M. JULNIS FIRMANSYAH