The equatorial heat wave, particularly in Indonesia, highlights the severe impact of climate change. Millions are affected by the El Niño-driven heatwaves. Typically, Indonesia’s average temperature is around 26.6°C, but recent data shows an increase to 27°C, with a peak of 38.7°C recorded at Kertajati Meteorological Station in West Java on October 9, 2023. A Heat Index of 35°C is frequently mentioned as the point at which the environment becomes severely hazardous to human health.
April 2024 was the hottest month compared with the last three decades, with a meteorological department recording an increase of 0.89 degrees °C. Scientists caution that the country’s average annual temperature is expected to rise in the future due to the global warming crisis.
Such high temperatures create environmental conditions suitable for prolonged drier conditions resulting in droughts. Extended dry seasons and droughts significantly reduce agricultural yields, profoundly affecting the Indonesian economy. Data from the Central Bureau of Statistics in 2023 indicates that El Niño has significantly impacted national food production stability. Rice production from January to September 2023 dropped to 45.33 million tons of milled dried grain, a decrease of 0.11 million tons (0.23%) compared to 2022 due to a reduction in harvested area by 0.03 million hectares.
High temperatures and drier land conditions also increase the risk of forest and land fires, which disrupt ecosystems and biodiversity. In 2023, nearly 1 million hectares of land and forests in Indonesia were destroyed by fires due to extreme heat. Data from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry indicate that 994,313 hectares, an area 15 times the size of Jakarta, burned from January to October 2023. Furthermore, water scarcity and limited access to nutritious food pose serious health threats, increasing the prevalence of diseases such as stunted growth, eye problems, diabetes, and heart disease due to malnutrition. According to statistics from the Indonesia Nutrition Status Survey (SSGI) conducted in 2022, 21.6% of children were stunted.
President Joko Widodo and the Indonesian government are prioritizing climate change mitigation. The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing is intensifying efforts to counteract El Niño’s effects by constructing dams, reservoirs, and bore wells to provide adequate water for agriculture. Moreover, in response to droughts in 2023, the Indonesian government announced plans to import 1 million tonnes of rice from India to ensure a sufficient supply in light of the prolonged drought. The Health Authorities warn citizens to stay indoors and regularly hydrate during a heatwave event to increase awareness of and protect from heat-related illnesses.
According to Indonesia’s National Action Plan for Climate Change Adaptation, the government aims to enhance food security through climate-adaptive farming systems, technology development, and resource optimization. The strategy includes seven main programs: adjusting food production systems to reduce climate risk, expanding agriculture and aquaculture areas, restoring climate-proof agricultural infrastructure, accelerating food diversification with resilient crops, developing innovative and adaptive technologies, enhancing climate and technology information systems, and supporting these efforts with scientific analysis and policy development. These initiatives address climate change impacts while ensuring sustainable food production and resource use.
Most measures implemented by the Indonesian government to protect citizens from extreme summer temperatures focus on post-heatwave adaptation rather than on preventing future heatwaves. Therefore, there is also an urgent need to phase down coal power plants, reduce corresponding greenhouse gas emissions, and increase forest plantations to reduce the intensity and frequency of future heat waves. More public knowledge of renewable energy, sustainable practices, and climate change can influence public opinion and encourage people to live more ecologically friendly lives.
As predicted by the Think Hazard tool developed by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), there is more than a 25% chance that at least one period of prolonged exposure to extreme heat, resulting in heat stress, will occur in Indonesia in the next five years. The current situation demands a focused effort to mitigate and adapt to heatwave and drought challenges to ensure a resilient food supply and safeguard community health and safety.
Learn More References:
https://thediplomat.com/2024/02/indonesia-embraces-new-thinking-amid-rice-crisis/
This Post was submitted by Climate Scorecard Indonesia Country Manager Netra Naik.