Dealing with Greater Jakarta floods in times of climate change

Triggered by the severe flooding in early 2020, researchers from Indonesia and The Netherlands have published a series of six policy briefs entitled “Dealing with Greater Jakarta Flood in times of Climate Change”. The core message is unanimous: the flooding is a wake-up call to address the consequences of extreme weather and sea-level rise due to climate change. Annisa Triyanti from Utrecht University's Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development is one of the initiators and editors of the series. 

The megapolitan area of Greater Jakarta, Indonesia, has a long history of flooding.“Although floods are not new to the region, climate change requires novel approaches to understand and deal with floods and their potential impacts on people, the environment and society,” says Triyanti. “The relocating of the capital to East Kalimantan by 2024 may divert economic activities and ease environmental pressures, however, it will remain a challenge to protect Greater Jakarta from future flooding”.

The Policy Brief Series is the work of a multidisciplinary group of Indonesian and Dutch researchers and professionals to provide policy-relevant, timely, and knowledge-based insights and knowledge related to Jakarta’s flooding in the context of climate change. It offers a pragmatic approach by identifying opportunities in existing development plans and spatial plans of Greater Jakarta.

The aims of the policy briefs are threefold:

1. To provide meaningful insights to policymakers and decision-makers in relevant public and private sectors, as well as civil society
2. To encourage the development of an Indonesian-Netherlands bilateral cooperation platform
3. To trigger a public debate on this important topic in Indonesia, The Netherlands and beyond

“We have already presented these briefs to the Indonesian Embassy in The Netherlands,” says Triyanti. “In the coming weeks, we will share them with the Dutch Embassy in Indonesia, national and provincial Indonesian government agencies, and a range of non-governmental and civil society organizations on the ground”.