Rehabilitation of 204 hectares of coral reefs in Nusa Dua waters, said Coordinating Minister Luhut
Report from Tribun Bali journalist, Zaenal Nur Arifin
TRIBUN-BALI.COM, MANGUPURA - Youth Voice regarding the restoration of coral reef gardens or the Indonesia Coral Reed Garden which was initiated by the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan with the IMF Managing Director in 2018.
"So this is how to involve the younger generation to anticipate in maintaining and scaling up this activity. And this afternoon we are having a discussion with the younger generation of stakeholders who are concerned with coral reefs," said Andreas Albertino Hutahaean as Head of the Management of Water Conservation and Utilization of Small Islands. , Wednesday (19/8/2020).
Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan was present in the midst of this discussion to provide direction and listen to what they needed and asked for in coral reef conservation.
Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar said that the coral reefs here (Mengiat Beach) two years ago we planted when the IMF grew about 60 percent.
"Why 60 percent? Due to lack of maintenance, now we try to do maintenance. In the atmosphere of the Covid-19 pandemic, hotel staff, youth here and our students ask us to help with replanting again," said Coordinating Minister Luhut.
Later, the government will seek funds for the replanting of coral reefs and we hope that next week we will know how the planning will be implemented in Mengiat Beach and Sanur, Bali.
"I think this can create jobs for several hundred people until the end of next year or early next year. I ask them (students and youth) to plan this replanting," he added.
According to him, the Indonesian people are awarded the highest marine biodiversity diversity in the world, which is located in the world's coral reef triangle, which has 569 types of coral, the largest in the world.
Marine pollution, destructive fishing activities, and climate change are the biggest contributors to the damage to our coral reefs.
Likewise, the coral reefs in the waters of Nusa Dua are only 15-20 percent alive.
"Therefore, the movement for the restoration of coral reef ecosystems is very appropriate and necessary. We all know that the growth rate of coral reefs is very slow (1-2 cm per year and some are even slower), to restore coral reef ecosystems it will take decades. years. Therefore, we realize that the involvement of the young generation (millennials) in restoration activities is very important, as a baton for the next generation," he said.
With the number of young people around 28 percent of the total population of Indonesia, it is in their hands that the fate of Indonesia's coral reefs will be determined.
"I really support the YOUTH VOICE: Coral Reef Restoration ICRG (Indonesia Coral Reef Garden) activity as a form of millennial involvement in the ICRG program which was launched at the 2018 IMF-World Bank Annual Meeting," he added.
Through the activities of the Reef Nusa Dua Scholar Program, I hope that the voices of the younger generation will be heard louder as a carrier of change for the preservation of marine ecosystems, especially coral reefs in Indonesia.
We must ensure that the general public, especially young people and women, can be directly involved and aware that coral reef conservation must be sustainable and have an impact on future generations.
"One thing I hope is that the younger generation as agents of change is not enough just to do conservation without paying attention to the socio-economic life of the surrounding community. You have the ability to develop a creative economy according to its advantages. Especially during the Covid-19 pandemic like now, we must take action. more creative and innovative," said Coordinating Minister Luhut.
Regarding the ICRG Program, the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment is not only focused on the rehabilitation of 204 hectares of coral reefs in the waters of Nusa Dua but also plans to make the ICRG Tropical Marine Museum a Center of Excellence (CoE) for the first tropical marine science center in the world.
I also heard that ITDC Nusa Dua has allocated land for the construction of this museum on Peninsula Island.
So the ICRG program will become an icon of tropical marine Edu-Ecotourism, especially the world's coral reefs, such as AIMS (Australian Institute of Marine Science) in Australia's Great Barrier Reef or The Smithsonian Museum-Research Institute in the USA.
I started the Indonesia Coral Reef Garden program in Nusa Dua, Bali in 2018 with the then Managing Director of the IMF, Mrs. Christine Lagarde.
"We have high hopes for the start of this program. That the ICRG which has an area of 204 hectares will provide benefits in the fields of research, conservation, and sustainable economic use. This is certainly not an easy job," he hoped.
I am very proud that the ICRG is able to embrace and engage a wide range of stakeholders.
Starting from KKP, LIPI, Bali Provincial Government, Badung Regency Government, ITDC, Universities, NGOs, and the Private Sector.
This is how we should be as Indonesians. Working together, working hand in hand to restore the environment and our economy as Protectors of the Coral of the Future.
Also attending the event were Managing Director of The Nusa Dua, Gusti Ngurah Ardita, Executive Director of Biorock Indonesia P. Tasya Karissa.