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SDG Academy Indonesia hosts circular economy talk show and graduation for SDG leadership
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ith just six years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), collective action involving various stakeholders is an important step that needs to be undertaken. Among many agenda items, the circular economy is seen as one of the driving forces where “business as usual” can be transformed from a linear to circular model for a sustainable future. Integrating the circular economy into our day-to-day business contributes significantly to the achievement of the SDGs, especially goals 8 on Economic Growth, 11 on Sustainable Cities, 12 on Responsible Consumption and Production, 13 on Climate Action, 14 on Life below Water and 15 on Life on Land.
Therefore, to make the circular economy an integral part of day-to-day business at every level, from the policy and technical to the community level, UNDP Indonesia, through SDG Academy Indonesia with support from Nippon Closures Co., Ltd and ICMG, provides an opportunity for circular economy capacity building through a talk show featuring SDG mover Chelsea Islan; coordinator of the expert team of the National SDG Secretariat, Yanuar Nugroho; senior advisor for programs and strategic policy on renewable energy at UNDP Indonesia, Verania Andria; and chief corporate officer of Daya Selaras Group, Cynthia Wijaya.
The circular economy talk show, themed "Exploring Opportunities and Challenges of Circular Economy in Achieving SDGs in Indonesia" marks the culmination of a series of capacity-building programs that was initiated in 2022. These programs include five series of circular economy dialogues, including SDG Talk: Youth Voices in Circular Economy, Development of Online Learning Modules for Circular Economy and the SDG Leadership Program Class V, with the circular economy as the specialization topic. This series of programs is expected to form a comprehensive learning ecosystem for the public, particularly aiming to enhance knowledge, foster innovation and promote collaboration for the implementation of circular economy practices in Indonesia toward achieving the SDGs.
Norimasa Shimomura, UNDP Indonesia’s resident representative, in his opening remarks welcomed hundreds of participants who attended virtually and believed the series of capacity-building programs would contribute to the development of talented leaders in the circular economy field in Indonesia.
"Through collaborative efforts between UNDP, NCC and ICMG, initiatives like this can create significant momentum to make circular economy a common practice in society, particularly in supporting Indonesia's strong commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and taking urgent actions to combat climate change."
At the policy level, Indonesia is actively preparing a road map for the circular economy as a commitment to a green and sustainable future. Vivi Yulaswati, deputy for maritime and natural resources affairs at the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), said in her remarks, “The circular economy road map is prepared as a supporting document for Indonesia’s Long-Term Development Plan (RPJPN) 2025-2045 framework and highlights three main indicators of the circular economy, namely the circular input rate, product durability rate and recycling rate.”
Indonesia's vision for a circular future requires talented and innovative leaders in sustainable development. The series of capacity-building activities on the circular economy concluded with the graduation of 42 participants of SDG Leadership Program Class V at SDG Academy Indonesia. Graduates from the private sector, government, academia and NGOs/CSOs were conferred the title of SDG-Certified Leader after undergoing a five-month learning process (October 2023 to February 2024).
Sei Nakagawa, product development manager of NCC, expressed pride in the 42 graduates and believed that the graduates could become local heroes, paving the way for their communities toward a circular future. He further stated, "Recognizing the urgency of education on the circular economy, NCC is committed to consistently offering our assistance to impart knowledge on the circular economy".
SDG Academy Indonesia is a unique collaboration involving Bappenas, the Tanoto Foundation and UNDP Indonesia aimed at enhancing the capacity of the public through the SDGs knowledge ecosystem. The capacity-building programs are targeted at the general public, especially stakeholders from both government and non-government sectors, with the goal of preparing leaders to accelerate Indonesia's SDGs achievement. SDG Academy Indonesia hopes that the graduates can help ensure a sustainable development path in Indonesia to achieve the global agenda by 2030.
Currently, registration is open for SDG Academy Indonesia’s SDG Leadership Program Class VI, focusing on poverty alleviation and education quality improvement, including impact on gender equality, with a five-month learning duration. SDG Academy Indonesia strongly believes that collaborative action and investment in education are the main keys to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
