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Time to work together toward clean air for a healthy Jakarta
Air pollution sources in Jakarta are slightly different between the dry and rainy seasons, but vehicle exhausts remain the primary contributor during both seasons.
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Smog blankets Jakarta’s skyscrapers on Aug. 19, 2019. Air pollution in the city is among the worst in the world. (JP/Donny Fernando)
T
his year’s Clean Air for Blue Skies Day, which falls on Tuesday, underscores the importance of healthy air for a healthy planet. Jakarta is no exception: it is time to work together – strategically, intentionally and quickly – to secure bluer skies for our city and surroundings.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jakarta residents witnessed clearer skies and a more visible horizon due to the large-scale social restrictions that were put into place to reduce the virus transmission. The air quality index (AQI) gradually improved, as documented in the five locations measured daily by the Jakarta administration.
Another study conducted by the National Nuclear Energy Agency also showed that the level of PM2.5—fine particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less and easily inhalable—decreased by 40 percent. This could have long-term health impacts. By reducing PM2.5 levels to meet World Health Organization guidelines, the AQ Life Index predicts that Jakarta residents could gain 5.5 years of life expectancy. Reducing PM2.5 and other air pollutants that cause global warming could also help address climate change.
But these improvements will be temporary if the government and all stakeholders cannot work hand-in-hand to maintain and protect the air. Maintaining this precious resource can only be done if we strengthen the air-pollution reduction policy and actions that we started in 2005 – and use an innovative, creative, participative and science-driven process to accelerate toward cleaner air.
We have already started. In 2019, we issued Gubernatorial Instruction no. 66/2019, which aimed to strengthen provincial action in reducing air pollution from stationary and non-stationary sources. We created and implemented the policy in a collaborative and participatory manner, and we worked with partners ranging from our local experts and communities of practice to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to leading sustainability and health groups such as the World Resources Institute (WRI) Indonesia and Vital Strategies. These collaborations produced a comprehensive study and allowed knowledge exchange and capacity building for government officials in the policy-making process.
Looking ahead, we are building on this foundation in three ways.
First, the Jakarta administration uses a science-driven policy-making process in developing its policy. The administration makes use of data, analyzing trends and projecting the upcoming trends. In the case of air pollution reduction, the administration identifies and maps the sources of air pollution that significantly impact inhabitants, to formulate effective policies and actions.
