Gorontalo District is stated as one of fifty areas most vulnerable to climate change, according to the API National Action Plan document. Meanwhile, referring to the assessment from Climate Change National Board in 2014, Gorontalo District is the most vulnerable region with the lowest capacity in Gorontalo Province. A more specific vulnerability assessment and climate change risk at the Gorontalo District level conducted by the Center for Public Policy Transformation (Transformasi), cooperating with the researcher team, showed a high level of flood, landslide, and draught threats in the district. This assessment indicated at least 82 villages vulnerable to climate change impact.
“In facing the climate anomaly, the local government plays a pivotal role in designing a development program that can protect the social and economic life of the community. There are three security aspects that must be considered, namely food, energy, and water security,” said the Chair of Transformasi Advisory Board Sarwono Kusumaatmadja.
Aware of the risks, the District Head of Gorontalo, along with his local units, is commited to prepare a development plan that is adaptive to climate change. “The threat of disaster is looming, and this has impacts the economic growth in Gorontalo District. Therefore, it is our responsibility to include Climate Change Adaptation strategy in the Local Medium Term Development Plan (RPJMD) of 2016-2021”, said Nelson.
The Head of API Working Group of Gorontalo District, Sumanti Maku, added, “The API strategy has been derivated into 24 action plans, in which its implementation will involve 10 relevant offices/agencies such as environmental office, agricultural office, food security agency, local disaster management agency, and others”. On September 2016, the Head of SKPD of these 10 offices/agencies have signed a joint plan in front of the District Head as a form of their real commitment in implementing these 24 API action plans in 2017. Meanwhile, the process of integrating these plans into the Local Government Work Plan (RKPD) 2017, Work Plan (Renja) 2017, and Activity and Budget Plan (RKA) 2017 is still ongoing.
This real action by Gorontalo District Government is appreciated by ICCTF. “The integration conducted by Gorontalo District Government is proof of their seriousness in facing the risk of climate change. Their commitment will be more sustainable because it has been integrated into the development plan for the next five years”, said the Executive Director of ICCTF, Erwin Widodo.
The seriousness of Gorontalo District Government in committing API action has landed them an invitation by KLHK to share their experience in COP 22 UNFCCC in Morocco, especially during the session of “Promoting Social Forestry in Indonesia”. In this session, Gorontalo District Head, Nelson Pomalingo, will present environmental and climate change challenges faced in his region, and the developed API strategy.
Executive Director of Transformasi, Juni Thamrin, has high hopes that the achievement of Gorontalo District Government can continue to be echoed at the national and international level as a lesson learned for all stakeholders, especially to those with similar challenges. He also emphasized the importance of greater support and attention from the central government, donor agency, and private sector to this initial achievement of Gorontalo District Government. “Technical assistance or funding from national and international parties will be very beneficial for Gorontalo District Government to ensure the implementation of adaptation and mitigation action next year will be according to plan. In addition, it must be noted that their action at the local level can contribute to the national target,” he said.
About the Center for Public Policy Transformation
The Center for Public Policy Transformation (Transformasi) is a networked think tank established in 2014, with a vision to “Achieve a better public policy making in Indonesia”. Therefore, Transformasi is strongly committed to carry out the following missions:
1. Promoting high quality collaborative studies engaging the government, public, and domestic and international partners
2. Strengthening active knowledge networks between policy makers, academics, and communities at the national and local level to encourage evidence-based policy making.
3. Encouraging lessons learned, best practices, and capacity development in relation with policy making among stakeholders.
4. Improving the capacity of policy makers to develop an effective policy communication strategy.
API Program in Gorontalo District
Transformasi, cooperating with the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas and Indonesia Climate Change Trust Fund (ICCTF), provided assistance for Gorontalo District Government in developing a climate change adaptation action plan and integrate it into its local development planning document in Gorontalo District. This program is ongoing from April 2016 to March 2017.
The activity started with the establishment of API-Working Group facilitated by Bappeda of Gorontalo District and involved various elements, including relevant SKPDs, academics, community figures, NGOs, and representatives of female and male farmers. Assisted by the researcher team from IPB (Dr. Impron) and ITB (Dr. Armi Susandi), Transformasi has developed a vulnerability and climate risk assessment in Gorontalo District, which serves as basis for the Working Group in preparing API action plan and integrating it into the development planning document.
Public Relations Specialist
Muhammad Syarifullah (Syarif)