EduAsiaNews, Jakarta – Sustainability communication is increasingly essential to bridging science, policymaking and public understanding as Indonesia grapples with environmental challenges. Accurate and accessible information is needed to raise public awareness, broaden participation and encourage behavioral change in addressing climate change, deforestation, pollution and ecosystem degradation.
The issue was highlighted at the Sustainability Communication Expert Dialogue held at the Manggala Wanabakti Building, Ministry of Forestry, in Jakarta on Wednesday (Nov. 4). The forum, which brought together government officials, academics, diplomats, business representatives and media practitioners, also marked the launch of the Center for Sustainability Communication and Policy (CSCP) Indonesia.
Among those attending were Senior Adviser to the Forestry Minister Bambang Soepijanto; Anter Venus, rector of Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jakarta (UPNVJ) for the 2022–2026 period; Supriatna, director of the Graduate School of Sustainable Development at the University of Indonesia (UI); Jamhari Makruf, rector of the Indonesian International Islamic University (UIII); Agus Justianto, a member of the advisory board of Indonesia’s FOLU Net Sink 2030; Kompas daily editor-in-chief Haryo Dhamardono; and Soegijanto Soewandi, representing the Indonesian Forestry Entrepreneurs Association (APHI). Views on sustainability communication were also delivered through video recordings by Indonesian Ambassador to the United States Dwisuryo Indroyono Soesilo and Forestry Ministry Head of Public Relations and International Cooperation Ristianto Pribadi.
Bambang Soepijanto emphasized that evidence-based communication and active public engagement were essential to the success of forestry policies. He said communication should foster a shared understanding of policy objectives, the responsibilities of different stakeholders and the benefits of such policies for forest conservation and public welfare.
“Communication must be present from the initial identification of an issue and the formulation of policies through their implementation and eventual evaluation. It should also serve as a means of listening, receiving feedback and improving policy implementation,” Bambang said at the first Sustainability Communication Expert Dialogue and CSCP Indonesia launch in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Bambang also congratulated the Indonesian Sustainability Communication Association (ASKOMKI) on the launch of CSCP Indonesia, which it manages. He expressed hope that the center would become a platform for bringing together scientific knowledge, policymaking and field experience to strengthen collaboration among the government, academia, businesses, media and communities, including in support of Indonesia’s FOLU Net Sink 2030 target.
He stressed the importance of translating dialogue into concrete action, with clear objectives and a well-defined division of responsibilities.
“Follow-up initiatives could include joint studies, sustainability communication training, the development of public education materials and regular knowledge-sharing forums,” he said.
CSCP Indonesia chairwoman Trisia Megawati Kusuma Dewi said the center served as a think tank and collaborative platform for sustainability communication under ASKOMKI.
“The institution was established to bridge science, policy and society through science-based communication, particularly on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, disaster risks and community resilience,” Trisia said.
UPNVJ Rector Anter Venus said environmental sustainability was still often perceived as an abstract concept that was difficult to relate to people’s everyday lives. Communication strategies, he said, therefore needed to take into account local social and cultural conditions, as well as public levels of understanding.
He cited the practice of people continuing to dispose of waste into rivers as an example.
“People need to understand the consequences of throwing rubbish into rivers. Simply putting up signs prohibiting the practice is not enough,” Venus said.
The importance of social and cultural approaches was also highlighted by UIII Rector Jamhari Makruf. He said various religions taught the importance of environmental preservation, while similar values were embedded in the traditions of Indigenous peoples and local communities, including through customary rules and sanctions against those who damaged nature.
The challenge, he said, was to encourage religious leaders to translate religious teachings and local wisdom into environmental conservation messages and initiatives that resonated with the communities they served.
Meanwhile, Indonesia’s FOLU Net Sink 2030 advisory board member Agus Justianto said achieving environmental sustainability in line with the country’s FOLU Net Sink 2030 target required effective communication strategies to ensure that policies and programs to control emissions from the forestry and land-use sectors were understood and supported by the public.
Communication, he said, should go beyond conveying government targets to explaining the benefits of these initiatives and the role communities could play in achieving them.
“Consistent implementation of strategies and programs, accompanied by collaboration among the government, businesses, academics, media and communities, is essential to achieving these goals,” Agus said.
Supriatna, director of the University of Indonesia’s Graduate School of Sustainable Development, said environmental sustainability was closely linked to human behavior in using and managing natural resources. Environmental protection therefore required behavioral changes supported by shared awareness and understanding.
“Communication plays a role in sharing knowledge and building public concern, but it must be accompanied by good examples and concrete actions from leaders, the government and other stakeholders,” he said.
Soegijanto Soewandi of APHI said environmental conservation was no longer merely an obligation imposed by the government on businesses, but had become a public demand, including from consumers.
The shift, he said, required businesses to take environmentally responsible practices more seriously to ensure their products remained acceptable to consumers.
“In the past, environmental conservation was seen as a burden imposed by the government. Today, the market itself is demanding it,” he said.
In this context, environmental responsibility could become a competitive advantage that distinguished one company from its rivals. At the same time, the growing demand encouraged businesses to coordinate and collaborate with various stakeholders, including the media, to build strong brands for environmentally friendly products.
Kompas editor-in-chief Haryo Dhamardono said environmental communication strategies needed to reach Generation Z, which accounts for a significant share of Indonesia’s population.
Generation Z, he said, had its own mindset and lifestyle, as well as a relatively high level of environmental awareness. The use of reusable tumblers, for instance, as a more environmentally friendly alternative to bottled water was no longer simply an obligation but had become part of their lifestyle.
“This is why innovative and educational communication strategies are needed to reach Generation Z,” Haryo said.
A Platform for Collaboration
Forestry Ministry Head of Public Relations and International Cooperation Ristianto Pribadi welcomed the establishment of CSCP Indonesia as a platform for collaboration to strengthen communication on forestry policies.
He expressed hope that the center would become a strategic partner for the ministry in developing public campaigns grounded in scientific evidence and presented in ways that were accessible and relevant to people’s everyday lives.
Accurate, transparent and responsive communication that takes public concerns into account was also essential to building public trust in the government, he said.
Meanwhile, Indonesian Ambassador to the United States Dwisuryo Indroyono Soesilo said science-based sustainability communication was important in strengthening international partners’ understanding of and confidence in Indonesia’s development policies and practices.
Indonesia’s experience in managing natural resources and protecting biodiversity, he said, could serve as an asset in developing cooperation with the United States in research, education, technology and capacity building.
He expressed hope that the dialogue would produce concrete policy recommendations, public education initiatives and international partnerships involving the government, academia, businesses, media and communities. (**)
