P

eople have the capability to minimize the impact of ecological disasters caused by global warming, according to a researcher.

Speaking at a discussion, researcher Langgeng Wahyu Santosa of Gadjah Mada University’s Disaster Mitigation and Environment Clinic said that making people aware of the nature of their surroundings could lead to less severe impact of ecological disasters.

“Nature has its own characteristics,” Langgeng told a discussion forum titled “Climate Change and Geological Disaster Potentials” held at the Muhammadiyah University (UMY) campus in Yogyakarta on Wednesday.

Giving an example, Langgeng said that Java was divided into three zones: northern, central and southern, each of which had its own characteristic.

The southern zone is rich in tectonic hard rock and therefore prone to earthquakes. The central zone is a mountainous region and the northern zone is a clay area that makes it prone to flooding.

“It’s important to inform locals of the type of zone they reside in and that knowledge will enable them to adapt to their environment,”
he said.

“Elements in the community also need to understand the magnitude of a disaster so they will be able to minimize the impact,” another speaker, Rahmawati Husein of Muhamaddiyah’s Disaster Mitigation Institute, said.

Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency head Sriworo B. Harijono said that global warming had caused climate changes that in turn caused a wide range of natural disasters, such as flooding, flash floods and landslides.

He said Indonesia’s climate was influenced by the El Nino and La Nina phenomena, Dipole Mode and the temperature of the sea surface in Indonesian waters.

He added that with Indonesia located between Asia and Australia, and the territory mostly made up of
water, Indonesia was prone to climate change.

Other aspects considered important in ecological disaster mitigation include preservation of the environment, including through reforestation and the expansion of mangrove forests.