TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government plans to allocate a budget of USD$1 billion to reduce waste at sea, shores, and rivers. For such a cause, the government has issued Sea Waste Solution National Campaign in mid 2017.
“The government is fully aware that such an effort will not be significant without the contribution from private sectors and the society,” the Office of the Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister's assistant for maritime sovereignty Arif Havas Oegroseno said while attending OurOcean conference in Malta on Sunday (8/10).
This effort serves as a pillar to prevent greater ecological and economic loss due to the damage of biodiversity and ocean resources caused by waste. Havas stated that the government is aimed to cut plastic waste up to 70 percent by 2025.
Indonesia, he continued, has launched several programs to cut plastic waste including using it as asphalt mix for national road project, recycling waste for energy, strengthening the initiative of waste bank, and society and youth empowerment.
In the conference, Havas met a number of potential investors to deal with plastic waste by increasing recycle capacity. He also delivered information on Indonesia maritime diplomacy, law enforcement for IUUF (Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated Fishing), maritime infrastructure development, and measures taken to deal with the impact of climate change.
ROSSENO AJI NUGROHO