By : Anindira Putri Maheswani )*
The National Capital (IKN) will be the first forest city in the world. Where the concept is very unique because the capital city is located in the beautiful Kalimantan forest. The concept of a forest city is unique because it is second to none and is environmentally friendly. The construction of the IKN will be safe and protect Kalimantan’s forests.
The head of the Nusantara National Institute of Public Administration Authority, Bambang Susantono, stated that one of the things that needs to be of concern to the archipelago is the concept of a sustainable forest city ( forest city ). IKN is believed to be the first capital city in the world to apply the forest city concept .
Bambang continued, only 25% of the archipelago’s area would be developed, while the remaining 75% would be green areas, including 65% of the area remaining as tropical forest. This condition will enable the citizens of the Archipelago to live side by side with nature.
Although it is believed by some people, most of the forests in the archipelago are no longer tropical forests, but production forests that are part of the agroforestry industry and there are also mining areas.
Bambang continued, therefore, the government is determined to reverse deforestation in this region, by returning tropical forests and their fertile ecology. The restoration of tropical forests will be made possible through a process of reforestation in order to restore the ecology.
In addition, forest areas will also increase water absorption, reduce the risk of flooding, and act as a carbon sink. Along with development that pays attention to the environment, the presence of forests in IKN Nusantara will enable the government to minimize emissions in the city. With all these features, Nusantara targets to become a carbon neutral city by 2045.
At the COP-27 event in Sharm-el-Sheikh last November 2022, OIKN and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) launched a study that maps how Nusantara can become a city that supports net-zero emissions. The study confirms that the development of Nusantara as a forest city will encourage more ambitious rehabilitation efforts in its territory.
IKN Nusantara is Indonesia’s active participation in supporting global initiatives to address climate change. The success of the Archipelago has benefited not only Indonesia but also the global community, by creating sustainable cities that can be replicated around the world.
Meanwhile, the Governor of East Kalimantan, Isran Noor, stated that the IKN project will be based on green development principles in line with the restoration of East Kalimantan’s environment. Later the function of the environment will really be maintained.
In a sense, the development of IKN is truly in accordance with environmental balance and complies with applicable regulations. There will be no development that will harm the people and make them lose the forest which is the pride of the people of Kalimantan. It is certain that development will protect the environment, and IKN is indeed set to become a forest city .
The concept of a forest city is indeed appropriate, because in reality Kalimantan was given a gift from God in the form of a green and soothing forest. The city that will be built will be very modern without compromising the existence of forests in East Kalimantan. After all, the forests in Kalimantan are not only an air filter, but also a place for some people to work as collectors for firewood or leaves that can be sold to the market.
Apart from that, forest city is also in accordance with President Jokowi’s order, that 75% of IKN development must be green. The Ministry of Environment and Forestry will build a nursery so that healthy tree seedlings will grow. The location of the tree seedling nursery is in Mentawir Village, Penajam Paser Utara, East Kalimantan, and the area is 35 hectares.
Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya stated that there is 120 hectares of land for trees in IKN, which is also the center of the National Germplasm. It is estimated that 12 to 15 million trees are produced per year.
Later the seeds will be planted according to the urban planning plan that has been designed by planologists in the IKN project. It is predicted that the capital city of the archipelago will be an area that is not only ultra modern, but also cool because there are lots of trees there. Indonesia will have a beautiful, green and proud capital city.
Governor Isran Noor continued, the development of a green IKN will benefit future generations. Therefore all stakeholders will collaborate in making it happen. Starting from the local government, project heads, customary heads, to community leaders, they always support the development of the IKN.
In a sense, a green IKN will allow their children, grandchildren and their descendants to enjoy the fresh air. There will be no aridity in Kalimantan after the capital city is moved there. Moreover, Kalimantan is one of the lungs of the world. It is impossible for the government to cut down forests for the sake of an overly ambitious IKN project.
Kalimantan’s forest sustainability must be maintained because it is a world asset. If Kalimantan’s forests are reduced drastically, the UN (United Nations) and WWF ( World Wide Fund for Nature ) will immediately reprimand the government. People don’t need to be afraid of developments that are detrimental to the environment, because from the start the government has designed a green city as perfect as possible.
IKN Nusantara will be the first forest city in the world and it is very proud, because a capital city is not only standing tall but also green. IKN is very green and the city goes into the forest, instead of removing the forest to build a city. The forest city concept is brilliant and will be imitated by many other countries in the world.
)* The author is a contributor to Persada Institute
