Seaweed Suitable for Indonesia's Blue Economy - Jan 2, 2013, bernama.com
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v6/newsworld.php?id=918907

Bali has potential for "blue economy" development - Dec 31, 2012, thejakartapost.com
http://www2.thejakartapost.com/bali-daily/2012-12-31/bali-has-potential-blue-economy-development.html

Profit, sustainability in the Coral Triangle - March 6, 2013, thejakartapost.com
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/03/06/profit-sustainability-coral-triangle.html

WWF urges government to support 'blue economy' initiative - March 9, 2013, thejakartapost.com
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/03/09/wwf-urges-govt-support-blue-economy-initiative.html

 

Blue Economy Challenges in Indonesia

Indonesian President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, first announced the Blue Economy concept in his speech "Leaders Valuing Nature" at the Rio+20 meeting in Brazil last June 2012. Blue Economy has become a new strategy for Indonesia's development policy that prioritizes natural resources for economic growth, social welfare, and environmental sustainability.

Responding to this initiative, Indonesia's Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) in collaboration with WWF, conducted a Blue Economy Seminar on 4 December 2012, in Bandung West Java. The seminar introduced the Blue Economy concept to private sectors, academicians, and university students as well as launched the 3rd Coral Triangle Regional Business Forum, which will be held on 24 to 26 March 2013 in Denpasar, Bali (www.ctirbf2013.com). The Regional Business Forum will invite members of the private sector from the Coral Triangle region, which includes Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor Leste.

Professor Dietrich Bengen from Bogor Agriculture Institute gave the introduction of Blue Economy: "Some people used to be misled, saying that Blue Economy is for oceans and Green Economy for terrestrials. It is not true, both marine and terrestrial-based industries can expand their businesses, applying the Blue Economy concept."

The Directorate-General of the Marine, Coastal and Small Island, represented by Agus Dermawan, the Director of Utilization of Coastal and Small Island, presented the opportunities of Blue Economy implementation in marine and fisheries business sector:

"The government strongly supports industries to implement the Blue Economy. In fact, we have also implemented a pilot project of Blue Economy called Minapolitan Program, which is being conducted in some areas."

Daniel Rembeth, the senior advisor of Berita Satu media group was the moderator in the first session of the seminar:

"I am very happy to be invited as the chair in this seminar. I think it is very important for private sectors to know more about Blue Economy because they can build new businesses when they think in creative ways to use natural resources."

The business and industry sector can lead the development of a Blue Economy as they can use what they have in their businesses to make products that can benefit both people and nature. Rosdinal Salim of the Chamber of Business and Industry of Indonesia (KADIN) shared some opportunities and challenges that need to be addressed together by stakeholders and how the government can help facilitate private sectors to implement this creative concept in the future. He proposed that the government, or any regulating body, should create a good investment atmosphere by improving infrastructure, supporting incentives and subsidies, and also creating a well-educated human resources that can come up with new innovations and technology to manage natural resources more efficiently and effectively.

"The Private sector is ready to support the implementation of a Blue Economy. Government should also support us to provide proper infrastructures and support regulations such as incentives for entrepreneurs," said Rosdinal.

To further drive the need for a Blue Economy, Dr. Lida Pet-Soede, WWF Coral Triangle Global Initiative Leader, shared facts on how natural resources are getting depleted amidst population growth:

"It now takes 1.5 planets to provide food for humans. We only have one planet. Where will we find another half to meet the food demands of present and future generations?"

Our one and only planet can no longer support food security for future generations. Innovations are urgently needed to answer the challenge of how to get present benefits, while securing food for future generations.

The seminar also invited students to provide creative business ideas that can be implemented by the private sector. Some students came up with ideas around waste management, while others developed business plans and communication strategies. At the end of the group discussion, students agreed that the government should invest in human resources to do some research and create technologies and innovations to support creative ideas around the Blue Economy.

Towards this end, the Coral Triangle Initiative National Coordinating Committee of Indonesia is now inviting students from Indonesia to submit essays that outline creative business ideas that can be implemented by the private sector. This essay competition will be open until the end of February 2013.

For further information, please contact:

Dewi Satriani
Marine Communication Manager
WWF-Indonesia
Graha Simatupang Tower 2 Unit C
Jalan Letjen TB. Simatupang, Jakarta 12540
Telp/Fax: 021-7829426-29/021-7829462
HP: 0811910970
Email: dsatriani@wwf.org