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| Jakarta faces up to a high flood-risk future | Jakarta faces up to a high flood-risk future |
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| On 17 January water flooded into several Jakarta neighbourhoods, claiming more than a dozen lives and causing the evacuation of 18,000 residents. Even the city centre was affected. The papers featured pictures of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono paddling in the garden of his official residence, his trousers rolled up to the knee. | On 17 January water flooded into several Jakarta neighbourhoods, claiming more than a dozen lives and causing the evacuation of 18,000 residents. Even the city centre was affected. The papers featured pictures of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono paddling in the garden of his official residence, his trousers rolled up to the knee. |
| "I have sent a letter to the Agency for Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) to move the clouds to the north [the sea]," city governor Joko Widodo told reporters at city hall last month. He did not go into details about how this might be done, explaining that it was possible to use weather engineering technology to control clouds. | "I have sent a letter to the Agency for Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) to move the clouds to the north [the sea]," city governor Joko Widodo told reporters at city hall last month. He did not go into details about how this might be done, explaining that it was possible to use weather engineering technology to control clouds. |
| Indonesian meteorologist Armi Susandi was dubious about this strategy's chances of success. "Most likely the rain will fall in Jakarta instead of the sea," he told the daily Jakarta Post. | Indonesian meteorologist Armi Susandi was dubious about this strategy's chances of success. "Most likely the rain will fall in Jakarta instead of the sea," he told the daily Jakarta Post. |
| Floods are a recurrent problem for the Indonesian capital. In 2007, harsh conditions caused 50 fatalities and displaced 300,000 people. According to specialists, channels need to be built to contain the city's 13 rivers, with tunnels to divert floodwater and pumping stations on the northern, seaward side. | Floods are a recurrent problem for the Indonesian capital. In 2007, harsh conditions caused 50 fatalities and displaced 300,000 people. According to specialists, channels need to be built to contain the city's 13 rivers, with tunnels to divert floodwater and pumping stations on the northern, seaward side. |
| Widodo admitted that combating flooding is an uphill task. "It's a very complicated problem. The Dutch built 300 dams and lakes, but there are only 50 left. The wetlands, woods and other green spaces north of the city have been taken over by housing complexes and malls. You can't just demolish everything," he said. Forecasters fear there will be more heavy rainfall before the end of the monsoon in March, as the battle against the rising tide remains a problem. | Widodo admitted that combating flooding is an uphill task. "It's a very complicated problem. The Dutch built 300 dams and lakes, but there are only 50 left. The wetlands, woods and other green spaces north of the city have been taken over by housing complexes and malls. You can't just demolish everything," he said. Forecasters fear there will be more heavy rainfall before the end of the monsoon in March, as the battle against the rising tide remains a problem. |
| Sukristiono Sukardjo, a professor of mangrove ecology at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), published a gloomy opinion piece in the Jakarta Post last month, echoing the governor's fears: "The city represents an exceptional concentration of 10 million people located close to the sea's edge and therefore vulnerable to rising sea levels […] It is now only a matter of time before mangroves are totally erased from the map of Jakarta," he wrote. | Sukristiono Sukardjo, a professor of mangrove ecology at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), published a gloomy opinion piece in the Jakarta Post last month, echoing the governor's fears: "The city represents an exceptional concentration of 10 million people located close to the sea's edge and therefore vulnerable to rising sea levels […] It is now only a matter of time before mangroves are totally erased from the map of Jakarta," he wrote. |
| Sukardjo highlighted the contradiction between the "unbridled urbanisation and industrialisation programmes initiated by the government, which, in the same breath, pronounces its concern about Jakarta's ecological balance". | Sukardjo highlighted the contradiction between the "unbridled urbanisation and industrialisation programmes initiated by the government, which, in the same breath, pronounces its concern about Jakarta's ecological balance". |
| It remains to be seen whether Widodo, 52, will live up to his reputation. He was elected governor last September. At the beginning of the year he finished third in the 2012 best mayor contest organised by the World Mayor Project, a tribute to his success at his previous job in the city of Solo, Java. Establishing a green belt round the town is thought to have prevented a repetition of the flooding which hit Solo in 2005. But the capital is a much bigger challenge. | It remains to be seen whether Widodo, 52, will live up to his reputation. He was elected governor last September. At the beginning of the year he finished third in the 2012 best mayor contest organised by the World Mayor Project, a tribute to his success at his previous job in the city of Solo, Java. Establishing a green belt round the town is thought to have prevented a repetition of the flooding which hit Solo in 2005. But the capital is a much bigger challenge. |
| • This article appeared in the Guardian Weekly, which incorporates material from Le Monde | • This article appeared in the Guardian Weekly, which incorporates material from Le Monde |
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