Looking Towards Indonesia’s G20 Presidency on Asian-African Environmental Recovery
Asian-African Youth Government (AAYG) held an International Webinar on Friday, July 15th 2022, with the theme of “Looking Towards Indonesia’s G20 Presidency on Asian-African Environmental Recovery”
Respiratory Saddam Al-Jihad, the President of AAYG 2021-2026, stated that G20 is a strategic multilateral plattform which connecting the word major developed and emerging economics as the G20 strategic role in securing future global economic growth and prosperity.
However, economic development has never been separated from environmental damage across the world, especially in ASEAN and Africa. We face an extremely serious thread of resource use.
Widespread ecosystem degradation and human-made climate change. During the crisis of Covid-19, there are abolishing distinctions in environmental security due to human activity.
The important question is how to anticipate more environmental disaster when the world focuses on economic recovery after Covid-19. In a long time, the more massive the economic development, it will be more tragic if not anticipated early. Therefore, G20 must take this issue as one of the indispensable topics in the G20 forum in Bali.
“I agree if natural forest should be paid most attention to secure as it can be as a strategic recommendation of G20 later” Said Saddam Al-Jihad in his welcoming speech.
Puspa Dewy, Head of Divison of Environmental Studies and Law at WALHI, said that the Emergence of ecological crisis in the middle of the pandemic crisis and the WALHI organization has been consolidating with the civil society in G20 and the prediction of UNEP says 60% of the contagious disease is zoonosis due to pathogen bacteria and climate change factors into the emergence of many diseases. So all of it are connected, the ecological damage, climate change, and the Covid-19.
Covid happens also due to the ecological destruction that occurred out of inaction on the collecting of several territories of the people. Covid didn’t halt cooperation to continuous exploitation in the end. The lack of people’s space for sustainability.
And unfortunately, there has been quite an impediment to people’s actions under the grounds of Covid. There is the criminalisation of the people which continues for the people who fought for the right of environmental living.
Furthermore, Astrid Nadya Rizqita, Board Member of Asian African Youth Government explained about Role of Indonesia as President of G20, the Relationship between Indonesia toward other G20 nations, the Relationship between Indonesia and Asia Africa Nations in general, The importance of Indonesian stance for solving the current global environmental recovery issue, Indonesian presidency of G20 as a role model for youth in diplomacy and international relations, and Strengthening Indonesia’s role in the Indian ocean through IORA.
Indonesia leads the G20 in the challenging and complex situation of global uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Three major agendas have been selected as key pillars to formulate the strategies to accelerate this sustainable, inclusive and strong recovery: the global health architecture, economic and digital transformation, and energy transition.
While Indonesia’s economy is growing, its economic engagements with other G20 countries remain relatively limited, particularly when compared to the trade flows between other G20 forum members. Indonesia’s goal of growing international economic engagement with other G20 members has occurred through a variety of domestic initiatives aimed at boosting economic growth.
The importance of the Indonesian stance for solving the current global environmental recovery issue is Indonesia has initiated a variety of projects aimed specifically at establishing renewable energy resources, including solar, wind, and hydropower. Indonesia has consistently attempted to mitigate the issue of energy transition through regulation.
As Indonesia’s presidency G20 means that it will create great attention from global toward Indonesia therefore all eyes will be watching especially for the Youth Role in Indonesia as the expectation from the global community is increasing.
Astrid Nadya also talked about Strengthening Indonesia’s role in the Indian ocean through IORA, The IORA is a regional forum, tripartite in nature, bringing together representatives of Government, Business and Academia, for promoting cooperation and closer interaction among them. It is based on the principles of Open Regionalism for strengthening Economic Cooperation, particularly on Trade Facilitation and Investment, Promotion as well as Social Development of the region.
