By: Sudirman Sulaiman )*
The north coast of Java Island is one of the most densely populated and economically vital areas in Indonesia. Big cities such as Jakarta, Semarang, Cirebon, and Surabaya depend on the sustainability of the ecosystem and the security of the coastal area for their sustainability. However, this area is currently under real threat: land subsidence, increasingly frequent tidal floods, and the impacts of extreme climate change.
In this increasingly urgent situation, President Prabowo Subianto’s plan to form the North Java Coast Sea Wall Authority Agency deserves to be appreciated as a strategic step full of vision for the future. The Giant Sea Wall project is not only a symbol of courage in facing the climate crisis, but also a real manifestation of the government’s commitment to protecting the lives of millions of residents in coastal areas.
The north coast of Java has long been prone to tidal flooding. Data from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) notes that more than 200 thousand hectares of the north coast area have experienced prolonged inundation. Land subsidence in some areas has even reached 12 centimeters per year. This figure is worrying for big cities like Jakarta and Semarang.
The impact is not only on infrastructure, but also on the social and economic life of the community. Houses are flooded, public facilities are damaged, and access to basic services is hampered. This condition requires major and coordinated intervention from the central government.
Minister of Public Works, Dody Hanggodo, emphasized that the Giant Sea Wall project is a vital infrastructure specifically designed to protect the northern coastal area of Java from tidal flooding and the effects of extreme climate change. He said that President Prabowo’s attention to this project has been reflected since the campaign period and is now part of the national development priorities.
Furthermore, this project is not just a physical barrier to sea water, but will also integrate the city’s drainage system, flood control, and the development of new environmentally friendly areas. It is hoped that this embankment will be able to become a long-term fortress as well as a catalyst for sustainable marine and coastal-based economic growth.
Director of the Maritime Research Institute (Marin Nusantara), Makbul Ramadhani, welcomed President Prabowo’s initiative to form the Sea Wall Authority Agency. According to him, this step is very strategic and urgent considering the condition of the northern coast of Java which is increasingly vulnerable to environmental and climate pressures.
Makbul emphasized that the success of this project lies not only in the technical dimension, but also in the ability to build coastal areas that are resilient to climate, socio-economically equitable, and ecologically sustainable. For this reason, he invited all stakeholders ranging from the central and regional governments, academics, local communities, to the private sector to support and oversee the implementation of this project with a collaborative spirit.
It is important to note that the Giant Sea Wall project has actually been included in the government’s long-term planning since 1995, as explained by Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya. According to him, this giant sea wall will stretch 500 kilometers, from Banten to Gresik, with the initial stage of construction starting in the Jakarta Bay area.
Teddy added that the initial stage of construction is estimated to take eight to ten years, a realistic time span for a large-scale project with high complexity. With the existence of a special authority body, the planning and implementation process of this project is expected to run more effectively and efficiently, avoiding overlapping authority between institutions.
The construction of a giant sea wall is not just an effort to mitigate disasters. More than that, this is a golden momentum to carry out a comprehensive transformation of coastal areas. Sea walls must be part of a city development strategy that is adaptive to climate change, supports coastal communities, and prioritizes ecosystem sustainability.
This transformation includes the arrangement of slum areas, revitalization of ports and industrial areas, development of coastal tourism, and protection of mangrove areas and other coastal habitats. If carried out with a good governance approach, the Giant Sea Wall project can bring broad benefits to Indonesia’s sustainable development.
Seeing the urgency and potential benefits of the construction of the Giant Sea Wall, all elements of society should give full support to this strategic project. President Prabowo’s commitment to protecting the north coast of Java from the threat of rob and the climate crisis is worthy of our appreciation as a form of the state’s responsibility to its people.
Now is the time for us not to just be spectators, butbut part of a national movement to build a resilient, safe, and competitive coastal area. With mutual cooperation and healthy public oversight, the Giant Sea Wall project can be a great legacy for future generations.
(* The author is an Urban Governance Expert from Catalyst Infrastructure