Jakarta: The Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) has highlighted the important role of the younger generation, especially Generation Z, in mitigation efforts to achieve climate targets.
During a discussion in Jakarta on Thursday, head of KLHK’s Mitigation Implementation Monitoring Sub-directorate, Franky Zamzani, noted that the governments of countries signing the Paris Agreement have committed to preventing a global temperature increase of 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Mitigation measures are needed to achieve this target, he said.
“That requires the involvement of Gen Z because, when we talk about efforts to curb the increase in emissions and so on, this cannot only be done by the state or companies alone,” Zamzani said.
Therefore, inclusivity is crucial for the climate mitigation movement. This is especially important in Indonesia, which is experiencing a demographic bonus, where the productive population (15–64 age group) is greater than the non-productive population, which will reach its peak in 2030, he added.
In view of this, he said, the younger generation will play a very decisive role in the next few years, and their involvement from the start will help achieve the climate targets set by the government.
During the same discussion, the Executive Director of Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI) Jakarta, Suci Fitriya Tanjung, said that there has been significant progress in terms of the involvement of the younger generation in various mitigation measures.
To further increase their involvement, she highlighted the importance of better communication rather than spreading fear, which can lead to worry.
Encouraging change through concrete steps is also important, she said.
“Our actions always have an impact, and no matter how small, it is very meaningful. That optimism needs to be transmitted,” she added.
