The climate is changing and the impact is getting more severe with each passing year. Global actions to slow climate change are needed to adapt to conditions that are now inevitable: higher temperatures, rising seas, fiercer storms, more unpredictable rainfall and acidic oceans.
Against this backdrop, The Netherlands hosted the Climate Adaptation Summit (CAS) 2021 on 25 & 26 January, with President Joko Widodo and Minister of the Environment & Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar delivering key note speeches. The CAS was a big success and clear commitments were made to collaborate globally and further accelerate adaptation action.
To keep momentum, the Embassy in Jakarta, NufficNeso and Indonesian partners are working on giving follow up to the CAS by organizing an event under the wings of WINNER – the Week of Indonesia-Netherlands Education and Research. On March 10, we will explore how cooperation between and within nations can be strengthened and how we can make climate adaptation work for everyone, particularly between Indonesia and the Netherlands.
During the event, the Indonesian Minister of Environment and Forestry and the Netherlands Minister of Infrastructure and Water will launch an Indonesia wide NL alumni challenge. Alumni are asked to develop a creative idea or campaign that helps generate awareness on relevant policies and initiatives following the CAS. The two winning ideas will each be awarded with EUR 5000 (IDR 85 million) to roll out their idea/campaign in practice.
Such initiatives follow on a longstanding relationship between Indonesia and the Netherlands on climate adaptation efforts and water management in particular. The Netherlands remains committed to work together with Indonesia and for our countries to learn and benefit from each other. As the new First Secretary Climate Affairs, Sustainability & Water Management, these are exactly the kind of topics that I will be working on in the years ahead.
It’s a privilege to do so in perhaps the most beautiful country in the world. Let’s work on preserving it, together!
With warm wishes,
Robin van Boxtel
Climate Affairs, Sustainability & Water Expert
