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Local youth and regional governments: Agents of change to reach low-carbon goals
A study conducted by the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) estimates that Indonesia needs to invest Rp 77 quadrillion (US$5.45 billion) to achieve its target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2060.
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Environmental activist and campaigner Mya-Rose Craig, 18, holds a cardboard sign reading “youth strike for climate” as she sits on an ice floe in the middle of the Arctic Ocean, hundreds of miles above the Arctic Circle, on Sept. 20, 2020. (REUTERS/Natalie Thomas)
D
id you know that the snakehead fish could save peatlands from fires? Or that using a deodorant made of natural ingredients could encourage forest conversion?
In the hands of young people, both of these things can happen. Interestingly, such innovations have come from local youths in some Indonesian districts.
The snakehead fish (Channa striata) naturally lives in rivers and bodies of fresh water in peatland areas, including in Siak regency, Riau. Siak has an area of 869,721 square kilometers, half of which is peatland.
Peatland fires are a chronic problem because of slash and burn agriculture and plantations. Dry peatland is highly flammable, whether set alight intentionally or accidentally. In 2015, there was a huge peatland fire in Siak. Since then, various restoration efforts have been made by the government and other stakeholders to improve the condition of peatlands and prevent fires from recurring.
Using peat canal blocks for snakehead fish farming is a brilliant idea because it will maintain the water level and the peatlands will remain wet. Communities that cultivate snakehead fish in canals will be encouraged to protect peatlands.
Siak youths founded a start-up called Alam Siak Lestari, which processes snakehead fish meat into albumin extract. Indonesian people traditionally use albumin to heal circumcision wounds and childbearing wounds. The potential of albumin as a raw material for pharmaceutical and beauty products on the global market is quite promising. In 2020, the market value stood at US$4.5 million and is expected to reach $6.7 million by 2026.
A sustainable business model innovation called Healthy Ecosystem Alternative Livelihood (HEAL) Fisheries won the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) SOLVE Challenge 2021 competition for the resilient ecosystem category last September.
