City of Kupang and Pekanbaru detailed environmental challenges as climate changes. These findings unveiled during Online Dialogue Forum when Climate Change Working Group from City of Kupang and City of Pekanbaru met with Climate Resilience and Inclusive Cities (CRIC) partners, Wednesday, 29 June 2022.
Representatives from Pekanbaru’s Climate Change Working Group, Dody Rinaldi, from the city's development planning agency mentioned that the city is experiencing urban heat island effects as results of changing land use and environments that also worsen the effects of climate change - like rising temperatures and extreme weather conditions - in the area.
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) explains urban heat island effects occur when cities replace natural land cover with dense concentrations of pavement, buildings, and other surfaces that absorb and retain heat. This effect increases energy costs (e.g., for air conditioning), air pollution levels, and heat-related illness and mortality.
Coping with the problems, the city government initiates several programmes assisted by CRIC climate mitigation and adaptation training to reduce greenhouse gasses pollution and other climate vulnerabilities. The city government is currently tagging several initiatives to boost climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives.
City of Pekanbaru is located in the middle of the eastern route of Sumatra bordering with big cities like Medan, Padang and Jambi and two neighbouring countries of Singapore and Malaysia. The city has become the strategic centre for local and regional trades and is projected to attract big investment in the future. Thus, the city is experiencing high rate of urbanization that further burdens city’s environment.
Like many cities, one of the ongoing problems in Pekanbaru is accumulating waste. Only 73% of wastes in the city were successfully collected by city’s waste collectors. “We have also discussed possibility to build waste to energy infrastructure and we need support in term of new technology,” said Dody, the city’s official. The city is also expanding green open spaces, finishing waste water treatment facility or IPAL (Instalasi Pengolahan Air Limbah) and building early warning system based on city’s climate vulnerability profiles. The ongoing implementation of CRIC Project in Pekanbaru is supported by Mayor Decree No.40/2022.
Kupang
For Kupang, the city’s climate vulnerability profiles are apparent by observing yearly climatic condition. Kupang’s dry season spanned to 8 months while the city has only 4 months of wet season. The city’s population is having difficulties to find quality water resources thus affects their sanitation.
CRIC trainings in Kupang have generated essential information on GHG baseline and climate mitigation scenario. From energy sector GHG emission is expected to decrease in 2030. However, from waste sector, GHG emissions will increase in the same period.
The city has exercised several recommendations from Urban Analysis Report produced in 2020 however lacking financial support from municipal government has hindered the adoption potentials.
Pascaline Gaborit, Founder of Pilot4Dev, one of CRIC Partners is interested to see how the city deals with water, energy and climate nexus.
Representatives from Kupang’s Climate Change Working Group, Vebronia Solo and Nofdy Pono mentioned that there are still opportunities to involve the sub-districts (kelurahan) in City of Kupang, especially those involved in Kampung Iklim (Climate Kampoong) initiatives. “Most of the sub-districts are located in sub-urban areas and still have land to be planted for climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives.”
Kampung Iklim programs encourage people to protect water springs, not to cut trees, or burn rice straws or other agricultural wastes. Communities also conserve water by creating water absorbent well.
Responding to Prof. Isabelle Milbert, President of Pilot4Dev questions on waste management and pollution prevention, representative from Kupang’s climate change working group mentioned that the city is still trying to improve waste management system by providing more temporary waste collection facilities, developing waste banks and promoting 3Rs.
The city also has provided budget for a blue-sky program where it tests vehicle emissions twice a year and encourage communities to use public transportation system. “We have new lines of BRT (bus rapid transit) that encourage people to take public transportation and feeders, mini buses that could enter into small streets.”
The online dialog forums have provided opportunities for CRIC partners to understand pilot cities’ initiatives. The forums will be extended for the last two CRIC pilot cities Samarinda and Banjarmasin in the upcoming weeks.
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Contributors: Aniessa Delima Sari (UCLG ASPAC Regional Project Manager), Abimanyu Arya (CRIC Internship), Aditya Pratama Nugraha Akbar (CRIC Project Internship).
