Learning to Understand the Environment from Emil Salim

Emil Salim, the former Minister of Environment, provided his experience in changing the view of the environment as something that must be protected. All began with a simple conversation with President Soeharto who asked him to ride a motorbike boat in the Tanjung Priok area, North Jakarta, to fish. He gained knowledge through a spiritual approach. He studied at the Annuqayah Islamic Boarding School in Madura, East Java, and Pater Bolen in Maumere, East Nusa Tenggara. Both moved out of an impulse of faith and belief. That is where the turning point in his understanding of the environment took place. Gita Wirjawan, the former Minister of Trade during President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's era, assessed that corrupt government governance stemmed from a bureaucratic culture that allowed important information to be filtered to please superiors. In fact, healthy governance can only be built through the courage to express facts, the integrity of decision-making, and the ability to balance human perspectives with scientific approaches. Emil Salim, an economic official, who was once the Minister of Environment during the New Order era, had his own way of understanding the environment. While holding this noble position, he experienced a change in perspective from a development technocrat who saw nature as an economic resource to a person who believed nature is a subject that must be respected and preserved. This big change began when President Soeharto appointed him as the Minister of Environment. The man born in Lahat, North Sumatra, admitted his confusion. "I frankly said I didn't understand the environment," he recalled in the discourse "Inspiration for the Journey of Work and Service to the Nation Prof. Dr. Emil Salim", in Jakarta, not long ago. For years, he was educated to see the environment as an object that could be utilized for economic growth and human development. However, a simple conversation with President Soeharto, who asked him to ride a motorbike boat in the Tanjung Priok area, North Jakarta, to fish changed his thinking. Amidst that activity, Soeharto pointed towards the seemingly polluted sea. "I used to be able to fish here. Gradually, I had to go farther and farther. Why is the sea dirty?" he said, mimicking the words of the second Indonesian president. As the then Minister of Transportation responsible for ports and maritime activities, he felt he was receiving a subtle reprimand. Not long after, Soeharto delivered an unexpected decision. "Now I ask you to become the Minister of Environment." Initially, Emil refused for not understanding that field. Then he understood that development reshaping the face of nature must come with the responsibility to fix it. Therefore, he gained knowledge through a spiritual approach. He studied at the Annuqayah Islamic Boarding School in Madura, East Java, and Pater Bolen in Maumere, East Nusa Tenggara. Both moved out of an impulse of faith and belief. That is where the turning point in his understanding of the environment took place. The effort of the religious scholars with their students and the pastor with the church congregation gave this 96-year-old man a completely different perspective. "I feel I am entering a new world." He started to view nature not as an object and inanimate, but as a subject. This reminded him of the Minangkabau philosophy inherited from his parents. "Nature becomes the teacher." Which means that the vast nature can be a source of knowledge. This change in perspective became an important foundation for him in carrying out his duties as Minister of Environment. While serving, Emil faced institutional limitations because the ministry did not have a large bureaucratic structure. However, he found other strengths through environmental organizations, nature lovers, academics, and various institutions that help monitor environmental damage. Also, voicing the interests of the community, and reminding the government when development deviates from the principle of sustainability. "The success of protecting the environment cannot only rely on bureaucracy and regulations. But the government must embrace all the social forces in society, both religious leaders, academics, environmental activists, civil society organizations, and indigenous communities." A Lost Figure Various circles view Emil Salim's example as lost from the current bureaucracy. The pattern of economic development thinking is too blind and has the potential to accelerate the ecological crisis. Gita Wirjawan, the former Minister of Trade during President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's era, who was present at the discourse, assessed that corrupt government governance stems from a bureaucratic culture that allows important information to be filtered to please superiors. In fact, healthy governance can only be built through the courage to express facts, the integrity of decision-making, and the ability to balance human perspectives with scientific approaches. "That is the root of vulnerability to corruption which, in my opinion, is contrary to the narrative emphasized by Emil Salim," he said. If there is no improvement, then Indonesia will not be ready to face the future. He also highlighted various things that make Indonesia lag behind. For example, electrification ratio, for instance, only reached 1,300 kWh per capita. However, to be modern, the country needs a minimum consumption of 10,000 kWh per capita per year. To raise this figure to 10,000 kWh using renewable energy, as in Emil Salim's spirit, the country must build renewable energy capacity of 500,000 Megawatts. Conversely, the current renewable energy development capacity is only around 4,000-5,000 Megawatts per year. "We need to accelerate development per year. If we do not accelerate power development per year from 5000 to a higher figure, we will not be able to achieve modernity or modernization earlier than 100 years." Mas Achmad Santosa, Chief Executive Officer of the Indonesia Ocean Justice Initiative (IOJI), mentioned that Emil Salim contributed to the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED). This commission produced a monumental report in 1987 titled "Our Common Future". That report warned of the dangers of pursuing unlimited economic growth. That is why the term "sustainable development" emerged, which means not just economic growth, but must have better quality. Then, the Rio Declaration born in 1992 did not lead the world to a better condition, but the world, including Indonesia, is trapped in the triple planetary crisis, namely, climate change, biodiversity loss, and massive pollution. "So, the question is what can 'sustainable development' do to or anticipate these problems?" Brigitta Isworo, Senior Journalist, viewed the current development policy as having snatched the right to live of future generations. The current generation is accumulating ecological debt to their successors. Betonization and shrinking of city parks make temperatures hotter. However, the difference in temperature between one area and another in a shrinking city will weaken the wind, because the wind blows due to the difference in hot and cold air pressure. "If that difference disappears, air circulation is disturbed and the wind formed no longer flows smoothly, but swirls and is hindered within the city. I see that it is frightening. But I don't know our policymakers."